Freeing the Captives. 

i 

AN ALLEGORY ILLUSTRATING 



THE ACTS 



OF SIN AND GRACE; EXPOSING SATAN'S FALSE 
REIGN; DISCLOSING MAN'S BASE SERVI- 
TUDES; MANIFESTING JEHOVAH'S 
DOMINION; AND REVEALING 
SAVING MERCY; 



WITH 



THE PLAN OF ITS OPERATION. 



JUDSON S. TAYLOR, 




PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR BY THE 

NATIONAL BAP^nST PUBLISIHNG COMPANY, 
ST. LOUIS, MO. 



Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 18S6, by 

JUDSON S. TAYLOR, 

in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 




MY SOLILOQUY. 

Lo, I have written — What? Who can divine ! 
A brood of thoughts long kept in heart and mind, 
By warmth and nursing care, have grown too 
large. 

To lurk within their nest, so here I am ! 
To turn them loose upon the public charge. 
And send them rolling down the slope of time. 

The Erudite and Wise, I may not please. 
'Tis known to be a task of doubtful ease ; 
So if, they fail, and that forever fail, 
T' extract from this, my Book, some sweet avail, 
This man, equipped with ''quill," then doubtless 
knows, 

Their thoughts do sweep above the way he goes. 

Unless it's so, the way I go. 
Above them lies, (to my surprise,) 
In that event, my forces spent, 
In lofty aim, to reach the same, 
I scarce do know, what I shall do — 
But, then I guess, I'd grow some less, 
And write once more, without such lore. 



4 



SOLILOQUY. 



(I poke some fun, then jump and run 
And leave it sold, to such as scold.) 

My style is coarse and plain, 
And goes its way amain, 
Like one with burdened heft ! 
All waggling right and left ! 
Till faster, faster yet! 
He soon resolves to set ! 
The crushing treasure by ! 
Eight there to let it lie ! 

The plan of my Book, as through it you look, 
Is new to the last ; but may be surpassed. 
By the fine old ways, of the by-gone days. 

Let mere Style, dare beguile, Truest man, if it can ; 
Be it good, as it should, it's a grace to all taste. 
But, some thought must be brought, in each word 
to be heard. 

In any case, the Truth must be, its crowning 
grace. 

As all agree, its utmost goal, so it may shine. 
Like sparks of gold, through all the line. 

Now some, in dread of lusty guise, 
Do feebler modes of speech employ ; 
And in their scanty store, despise 
The wealtli of words some minds enjoy. 



SOLILOQUY. 



5 



Some are so wise, if in disguise, 
They find foul error in fair satin clad. 
They soon descry, with prying eye, 
Abomination gorgeously arrayed. 
So these, forsooth, will have the Truth; 
Though donned in rags — vast Thoughts in sorry 
Words 

Will better please, than styles of ease. 

That catch with brilliant froth, the common herds. 

Some books I read, like precious seed, yield good 
fruit — 

Whilst other pens take mighty pains, just to suit 
A gorgeous whim, with thought too slim, to mould 
mind. 

All doped with words, that please the herds of 
mankind. 

But one may speak the truth, in a way, 
So uncouth, as offends, the good taste, of the 
friends, 

Truly chaste; so 'tis right, for each pen. 
As it writes, to attend, to the form of pure 
speech ; 

Thus to charm, till we catch, style for bait. 
Truth for hook — small and great, read my book. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTEK I. Jehovah and Satan meet each 
other. Their Appearance. A Dialogue between 
two Gods. 1. As to their respective Names ; 2. 
As to the Nature of each other's Dominion. Sa- 
tan challenges Jehovah to compare Kingdoms. 
A General Agreement for Mutual Display of 
Royalty. Satan Bound in a hard Contract, to 
exhibit all of his ; and to see all of Jehovah's. 
They Part. The God of Night goes raging to 
and fro, Musters all his Cohorts ;Parades his stolen 
Dominion. Jehovah overshadowing all : a Wave 
of trembling Light quakes before Supernal Pow- 
er. A Shaking up of Worlds. The Crash of 
Preparations. The Future trembling into the 
Present. Two Gods meet on our earth. Their 
hosts cover lands and seas. Oceans into high- 
ways. Lands into lines of travel. All Nations 
to one common rendezvous. On a huge mountain 
covering one vast plain. A House that seats Two 
Kingdoms. Constructed with infinite facilities. 
Satan alights on its Pinnacle. God a cloud of 
glory within. They Call up their Myriads. The 
Manner of their Cominjj^ The confluence takes 
shape. Emperor Propriety, Prof. Tune, Hon. 
Concurrence, and Col. Promptness. A world on 



8 



CONTENTS. 



one song. Division in sentiment. Satan Smiles. 
Full Organization. King Expediency, Right Hon- 
orable Lord Wisdom, Chief Justice Discretion, 
Admiral Self -Possession, Prof. Knowledge, Gen- 
eral Good-order, Capt. All-Speed, Hon. Clear- 
head, Sir Never-Fail, Mr. Do-It-Right. Lucifer's 
Claim. The Great-Bell. A Sensation. Diverse 
feelings. Satan Rules. Jehovah Rebukes him. 
Lucifer's Reply. 

CHAPTER H. Satan's Congress. His Sons 
are Princes. Their Dukedoms many, are blent 
in One. Man, in sin. Ruined Relic. Soul, 
Mind, Conscience, and Body, all Swayed by a 
Fallen God. Many of His Chiefs Speak. King 
Intellect (unsanctified) makes an Oration. Ex- 
tols Mentality; Squints at Depravity; Makes 
Man a god ; and Thouhgt his highest Engage- 
ment. Congress Applauds. Satan Vaunts. Je- 
hovah Rebukes. Answers Satan's fragrant Lies. 
Teaches Infinite Power lies beyond Human 
Thought. Defies Satan to prove his Divinity. 
Agrees to meet the Challenge. Claims he is a 
"god" in Internal Resource; in External Dis- 
play; and in the Happiness of His Subjects. 
Spends days in proving it. An old Orator Wins 
the Day. His name is Language. "Carries the 
Thought of six thousand years." "Gods depen- 
dent on him." "Words as Creators." "Man 
born of Pregnant Speech, " &g. Concludes. 
Congress Applauds. Satan's Wild Boast. Per- 
severance makes an Oration : His Several 
Names : No-End ; Hault-Not ;' Sink-Trouble ; 



CONTENTS. 



9 



Tarry-Not. Conscience makes an Oration. Con- 
science links Man to God. Gods grieve — So 
does Conscience. Gods rejoice — So does Con- 
science. Gods for Eight — So of Conscience. 
Man being almost Divine, Satan Claims he must 
be wholly so. He now Rises as a Cloud of Light. 

Looks over the World— "Its God." All Con- 
gress now goes out to Eat, Play, and Dance. The 
Fruitful Plain. The Pleasure Lawns. Rounde- 
lays of Mirth. Jehovah meets Satan raging. 
Repeats his History. Slays His Wild Logic. Sa- 
tan's Awful Confusion. 

CHAPTER IH. The Congress of Nations 
assembles Again. Each Tribe sits to Itself. A 
Tribe of Beauties. A Tribe called Ugly. A 
Tribe called Envy. A Tribe of Liars. Weeping 
Tribe. Laughing Tribe. Social Tribe. Sullen 
Tribe. Talking Tribe. Good-to-Borrow Tribe. 
Tribe called Poor-to-Loan. A Tribe called, 
Wish-to-Marry. One also called, Marriagable. 
Tribe called, Rich-And-Tight. One called, Hard- 
Up. Satan's Self -Praise for such Diversity. 
Courts Jehovah as being a great Central God. 
Flatters himself as a Border God. Eternal Space 
too much for one Ruler. It is Wisely divided, 
and let out to Many. The Weak ones yield to 
the Stronger. Satan's Empire vastly Enlarged. 
Calls Jehovah to see more of its Glory. Holy 
Writ calls men "gods" and makes Satan 
"Prince of this World." Victorious Satan. Con- 
gress and Further Si)eeches. Capt. Luck speaks: 
"Not of Providence, but of Man's Effort, 



10 



CONTENTS. 



alone." "Providence is Blind Fate." Satan 
Cheers Luck and his sons, as his Wealth Producers. 
The Play goes on. A Disturbance. Old Man 
Too-Slow, Zeal-Blind and Old Pap, Yes-Yes. A 
New Performance. A Dialogue by Old Middle 
and Young. Life seen from those three several 
stands. Martial Noble Calls Attention. Satan 
Vaunts over his Increase. Dast Rises to Walk 
as Men, and Men become gods. Jehovah Checks 
Beelzebub as follows : Beelzebub's gods Die; His 
Whole Kingdom marching to the graveyard. 
Speeches go on. Prince Vanity's Oration. 
Lord Pompous. Col. Display. Lord Chancellor 
Presumption. Rabbi Insolence. Prof, Wise- 
Look. Brigadier Make-A-Show — all Parade w^ith 
Vanity Prince. His Speech as follows: "Mod- 
esty a sort of Cowardice. Arrogance, a Brave 
and Noble Virtue. Politeness is Fawning De- 
pendence. Egotism Wins. Self -Opinion, the 
Standard of Worth." He parades back to his 
Court, and to his Throne. Some Like and Some 
Despise. 

CHAPTER IV. Tis Night. Jehovah Bewails 
to Satan a kingdom of Darkness. Time Sle'pt 
Away. Another Disturbance in Congress. Ad- 
miral Misconstruction, Col. Love-of -Change, Dr. 
Formality, Dr. Dry, Count Most- Anything, Col. 
Wranglings,Capt. Never-Pleased and Rabbi Love- 
Of-Show, Leading. Against them are. President 
Straight-Forward, Chancellor Don't Disturb, 
Lawyer Long- Head, Hon. Let-Well-Enough 
Alone, Dr. Extempore, Dr. Delighted, Mr. Moth- 



CONTENTS. 



11 



er-Witt and Old-Man Hands-Off. Speeches go 
on. Imaofination, the Potentate, makes a Grand 
Oration. His speech as follows : Distresses mil- 
lions [who look for Trouble.] Makes Millions 
Happy by Mere Fancy. Rules, as Monarch, a 
Despot. His Capacity and Resources. Works 
Miracles. Slow lio^htnino^s and Fast Thouo^hts. 
An Ocean Crowded into a Nit Hull. Armies 
Sweeping Up and Down the Hollow of a Hair. 
Speech ends. Congress applauds. Satan claims 
such wondrous Faculties are Divine. This 
Makes him a God. Another Oration — A Prince, 
Artificer, Speaks Before Congress. Shows March 
of Improvement. Adam Plows with a Cow- 
Horn. Abel Cuts Wood with a Sharp Rock. 
Steam Plow of To-Day. Eve and Her Stick 
Shawl-pin. Finery of To-day. The Whole Earth 
Glitters with Architecture. The Thunder of a 
World of Machinery. Congress Applauds the 
Boast. A Climax Reached. They Rest. Intox- 
icated with Victories they Sleep. 'Tis Night. 
The Two Gods Fly. All Round the World in 
One Night. They Rest on Twin Mountains. See 
the World at One Gaze. Satan Excited by His 
Own Greatness. His Soliloquy. Makes this 
World the Center. Satan becomes Central 
God and Jehovah, Border God. Satan's Reverie. 
Resolves to Take Jehovah's Rule. Swears by 
All Worlds he will Assume Sway. Casts a Temp- 
tation Upon Jehovah to Sit at his Feet one Swift 
Moment and call Satan Ruling Lord. Jehovah 
Breaks the Spell. Reviews Satan's History. 
God a Creator. One Breath Made Satan. First 



12 



CONTENTS. 



an Angel. Then Vastly Less. Spewed out of 
Glory. Fell on the Dunghill of the Universe. 
Rises a Devil, and Calls on God to Worship a 
Carcass of Infinite Conceit. All is Shame and 
Ruin where Satan Reigns. 

CHAPTER V. The two Gods Rise and Fly. 
Part Forty Miles Above the Earth. Satan 
Grows Sleepy as he Flies. Descends Again. 
Bound to Sleep and Rest. His Bed of Leaves in 
the Valley. Filled Over Tree-Tops. The Glory 
of Night. His Sleep and Dreams. The -Rise 
and 'Roll of His Dominion seen in Dreams. 
Gods and Crowns all round him to give him Hon- 
or. He turns in his Bed. Smashes Trees that 
stand beneath his Mattress of Leaves. Partially 
Awake. Dreams he hears a Call. Hark ! Call, 
Call it is. Sees Congress and his Rival God As- 
sembled. Springs into Life. Shoots himself 
Up in the Air. Goes Whoozing Fast. Sets the 
Heavens on Fire. Drops his Flight, somewhat. 
Meets a Thunderstorm. Throws it High Over 
His Head. Sinks an Island. Rises for Land 
Again. Smites the Ramparts of a Vast City. 
Its Name is Soul-Rest, The Capital of Little Na- 
tion Sanctified. Reaches the Temple. Storms 
and Darkness. Takes His Seat. Quiets all and 
Moves* Up a Lively Play. Col. Wit, Fun, 
Punch, Clown, Laugh- And-Grow-F at, Jack-Juve- 
nal, Jim Jumj^er, Susan Tickle, Jemima 
Mirthful, Gillottie- Jolly, and Abigail-Joyous. 
Remarks, Followed by a Reverie of Slirth. Sa- 
tan Happy. Play Goes On. King Politeness 



CONTENTS. 



13 



On Display. Takes the Medal. 'Tis Night 
Again. Jehovah Eebukes Satan for Levity. An 
Appalling Caution. Coming Darkness. Infinite 
Chaos Described of God. Awful Thoughts 
Brought Home. Nio-ht no Sun can Break with 
Day. Satan's Kingdom Lost in the Slush of 
Infinite Night. Satan Called out to show 
his Real Self. His sons of Shame, being Held 
Back. They 7mist Come. Jehovah Calls. Satan 
in a Strain, as to What to Do. Calls on other 
Gods. Drinks Nectar. Wine revives his Wits 
and Courage. Bravely Decides to be Himself in 
Full. To Hide Nothino^ in his Kinfjdom. His 
Arguments in the ^Matter, as follows: Being a 
god he makes His oivn Law, his own Loves, and 
His own Hates. All Gods Do the Same. Each 
is Right. Gods can not be Tried. If they Dif- 
fer, 'Tis Their Right. So Beelzebub consents to 
have all his Sons and Dukes speak before Jeho- 
vah's Face. The Play Goes on. 

CHAPTER yi. Monarch Soul-Death Speaks. 
He claims He is Monarch of All Nations, Tribes 
and Peoples. His Throne is in the Heart. Beel- 
zebub Put Him There. They Rule in Partner- 
ship. Have Succeeded well in All Ages. 
Troubled, However, very much by *'H()ly Writ" 
— A Book found over in Little Nation Sanctified. 
Speech ends 'mid deafening Applause. All 
Rise for Merriment and Drink. All Tribes Go 
out together this Time, except Little Nation 
Sanctified. They Drink and Dance. Monarch 
Soul-death on a throne in their Midst. Cheers 



14 



CONTENTS. 



the Nations. In the Temple Again. His Second 
Oration. Holiness Fled the Earth at His Ancient 
Approach. He Reached this World by the Help 
of One Black- Wings. Satan Cheers. Owns 
Monarch-Soul-Death. His First-Born into His 
Kingdom. Shows His Superiority Over King In- 
tellect, Lord Wisdom and Prince Conscience. 
Soul-Death is General-in-Chief over all Satan's 
Realm. His Unquestioned Qualifications to the 
Work. The pla}' goes on. Jehovah addresses 
Satan as follows : As God of Death. Soul- 
Death and His Thirteen Sons. Names Found 
in Mark 7 : 21. Their Fearful History. Their 
Doom. Rebukes Satan for Cruelty to Man. A 
Kingdom of Hates and Treason is His. Satan, 
of Heavy Heart, Calls for Music. The play goes 
on. Feai\ Suspense and Dread Sat Before Con- 
gress- One Orator Explains. They Prop the 
Heavens. Wall Back the Oceans. Dry land 
Boats. Fear and Dread Looking for Trouble. 
Satan Rests a Moment ; Calls to him his son. 
Ambition. Has him Talk. Is Refreshed and 
Laughs. Satan suddenly Loses some of his Pow- 
er. He can't Tell Why. Badly Confused. Calls 
for his son Cheer to speak for him. In his 
stead Ruin Spake. Satan NotPleased. Next 
he Calls for one Relief ; but in his stead one 
named Death Appalled the Crowd. Then a 
Black Winged Host Flew Round and Round. 
Great Fear. Judgment Reigns. Conscience 
Smites the Cowering Hosts. The Doom. A 
Final Charge to Satan. His Fearful I ate. The 



CONTENTS. 



15 



Rise of Little Nation, Foretold to Beelzebub. 

CHAPTER YIl. Satan Inspects the Whole 
Realm of Little Nation Sanctified. Anxious to 
Divine Her Power. Finds things not so Bad. 
Sanctified Nation is first, Poor ; second, Common 
People ; third. Very Few ; fourth, Will not shed 
Blood. In all thi-s He excels Her. Hastens 
back to Report. Calls a vast Hearing. Cheers 
with a Speech. Then they Cheer for Hours and 
Hours. Play goes on. Little Nation Sanctified, 
begins her Orations. One Good-Tidings Speaks. 
His Speech as follows : Happy Creation. The 
Lie that Killed. Removal to Nation Depravity. 
Loving Satan. Moral Insanity. Mercy's Watch. 
Mercy's Move. Mercy's Son. Soul-Life Plans 
for a Search. The Alarm Given. The Fright. 
The Charm of Deliverance. Speech Closes. lis 
Effects. Play goes on. One called Saint Talk- 
Well speaks as follows : Man , God , and the Devil 
Meet in Eden. Adam and Eve choose Satan and a 
he. Love, Truth and Happiness and Home. The 
Sad State of Sin. Men and Devils Brothers in Sin. 
Lies, Blood and Rotten Flesh cover the Earth. 
Mercy Hovers over it All. Little Nation Began 
in Sight of Eden. Passed throuojh Pagfan Niffht. 
Crossed the Flood. In Jerusalem, One Thou- 
sand Years. Mercy's Son Fully God, Fully Man. 
In the Skies. In the Manger. In the Grave. 
Closing Hell's Gate. Opening Heaven's Door. 
Nation Depravity, Informed of it All. Nation 
Sanctified to Fill the Earth with these Facts. Her 
Power is Hidden Help. God Present, But Not 



16 



CONTENTS. 



Seen. Satan Cast Out. Sins Pardoned. Dead 
Raised to Life. Mercy's Son is Named Prince 
Soul-Life. He thus Offers all Grace to Rebels. 
Speech Closes. Satan in a Rage. Stirs up Cae- 
sar, False-Faith and Self -Carnal. 

CHAPTER VIII. Saint Live-and-Do Speaks 
as follows : Love is Life. God's Finest INIiracle. 
Grave of the Soul. Resurrection Thunder. Love, 
a Worker. Live-and-Do Converted from Do-aud- 
Live. How Happened — its History. Came to 
Gate Provisional. Gate Called Break-Off. 
Gate Set— Free. Monarch Soul-Death Slain. 
Prince Soul-Life Slew^ Him. The Grave Unlocked 
Forever. Life From Dead Work. Prisoners 
Escape. Speech Closes. The World Truth 
Struck. A Shock of Nature. Immortality Flashes 
in Upon Them. He Speaks. Death Surrenders. 
Dust and Ashes Come to Life. The Past Comes 
Again. Bright Forms Floating Over the Assembly 
of Little Nation Sanctified. Satan Goes Out. 
His Deep Solicitude. He Talks to Himself. 
Reviews His Whole History. Falls on Sleep and 
Dreams. A Reverieof Victory. Captures Worlds. 
Half Wakeful. Hears God Walking Close by Him . 
Dead of Night. A Touch — an Awful Shock. 
Sees Light Covering the Earth. Recognizes a 
Face Long since seen by Him in Heaven. The 
Same now on Earth. Is Appalled at the Indica- 
tions. Sees the Future. Is in Awful Trouble. 
Prince Soul-Life on Earth. Casting out Dev- 
ils. Satan Tempts Him. The Howl of War. 
Emmanuel Caught of Beelzebub. Is Put to Death. 



CONTENTS. 



17 



Satan Sleeps of Kest for three Days and Nights. 
Soul Life Bursts His Grave and Wakes Satan 
With its Thunder. He Cries of Fright and Grief. 
Sees Prince Soul-Life Kiss Sanctified Nation and 
Take His Seat on High. The Bell Chimes. 
One called Eternity Speaks. Rich Illustration. 
The People Lost with Wonder. Dread Serious- 
ness. Play goes on. One Grow-Forever Ad- 
dresses the People. His Size. A Physical Phe- 
nomenon. Adam's Race on His Lap. Storms 
Fall Dead at His Feet. Growth of Eternity. 
The People Attentive. One called Hell came in 
to Speak. All the Nations Stampeded, and 
Rest For Days. 

CHAPTER IX. Second-Death Prepares a 
Prose-Poem. The Temple Craped. Plaintive 
Music. Dim Light and Umber Shades. Appall- 
ing Appearance of the Temple. Gloom of that 
Hour. Tears and Sobs. The Points of His 
Speech are as doth follow : A Lost Soul. Angry 
God. Immortal Dreads. Cursing Memory 
The Gaze of God. Dread Suspense. Satan the 
Central Spectre. Chained to His Throne. Mad 
as Death from Defeat. A Storm in Hell — A Cy- 
clone. A Quaking Pit. Explosive Shock. Wild 
Commotion. All Things Changed. Satan Fell. 
His Throne Fell on Him. A Wild Ocean, Lash- 
ed by Suffering Satan. New Terrors. Another 
Lesson. Knowledge that Stirs. Hark — One 
Universal War. A Midnight Speech. It Pro- 
poses a Compromise. All Woes Unite to Help 
Each Other. The Charge Upon Their Prison 



18 



CONTENTS. 



Gates. Battering Earns. They Plunge off 
Mountain Peaks. Are Broken at the Gates. 
Next They Try the Prison Hinge. Then Fly to 
the Cope. Some Fell. Others Feared. De- 
feats All Kound. Satan ('alls a Council. Pre- 
pared a Wheel to Grind the Battlement. It only 
made Fire. They next Charge on Her Dormer 
Windows. Swords from Without. Then Plunge 
to the Bottom. Dig at the Foundations. Grim 
Monsters Soon Appear. Are Stampeded Back 
Again. All is Failure. Another Council. All 
Unite to Annihilate One. Wounds Immortal. 
Very Death Rises Up. All Fail. A Soliloquy of 
the Lost. Scene Closes. Sin Itself Looks Se- 
rious. Refreshments and Music promptly Given. 

CHAPTER X. The Temple Dressed. ''Home 
IN Glory," A Doxology of all these Gather- 
ings. This Poem has the Following Pomts: 
Saintly Dead Raised. Burst of Morn. First 
Greetings. Recognition. Up in the Air. De- 
scending City. Opening Gates and Circling Ta- 
bles. Angel Waiters. The Wedding Feast. 
Store of Glory. Old Time Unlocks her Treas- 
ure There. '' Groans' '"Sighs, "and "Tears" 
Laugh. Air Voyagers. Baby Angels Singing. 
Heavens Sweet Sociable. Its Echo Echoes. An 
Infant Talking to Angels. A Laugh in Glory. 
All Glory in One Orchestral Reel of Delight. 
Many Orations By Saints Now Follow. A Poor 
Widow in Glory. Her Story Well Rehearsed. 
A Heathen from "Sidon's Isle" speaks. Paul 
and Abraham listen. A Martyr Under Nero of 



CONTENTS. 



19 



Rome Tells His Story. Martyrs Sing a Song. 
It swells Into a Shout. Round After Round. Story 
After Story. And Feast After Feast. Each 
Moment Excelling The Preceding One. The End. 
Blessed Poem. Amen. 

CHAPTER XI. Satan in Distress. Studies 
Deep Plans. Resolves to Build Him a Church, 
Counterfeits on the Grandest Scale — Counter- 
feits the Bible ; The Church ; Its Ordinances ; Its 
Spirituality. Marvelous Industry of this False 
Church. Little Nation Sanctified in Council. A 
Grand Missionary Move. "Hearts Desire" 
Spoke to the Saints. Their Great Work. Cheers 
them Forward. The Time Short. Speech closes. 
Its Results. A Prayer Meeting. Self-Denial 
Speaks. Oft-Fastings. Oft-Prayers. The Church 
of Old : Speech Closes. A Season of Prayer. 
The Nations leave the Temple. All Home Again. 
The Missionaries at Work. A Great Out-Break. 
All Things on the Move. The Cross ; its Blood 
and Open Tomb. The Book! The Book. Its 
Lessons. Central Thoughts. The * 'Resurrec- 
tion." Clearing, Sowing, Watering. Dread 
Opposition. The Enemies Plagued. The Saints 
Prospered. A Great Fountain. Distress Gate. 
Life Gate. Crowds Come. They Plunge into 
the Fountain. Are Healed. Those Healed Bring 
Others. Witnesses Meet one Folly. Harriness 
Pleads with Folly. Folly Pulls Away. One, 
Called Caution, Overtakes Folly. Much Ado 
Over Folly's folly. Folly Plays the Churl. 
Wisdom mects up with Folly. Folly Insults 



20 



CONTENTS. 



Him. Folly Waits for Two Men He Sees Com- 
ing. They Flatter Him. He Falls into Line. 
But Soon Falls Back. Their names are Misery 
and Destruction. They Lie. Folly Goes On. 
Down they Take Him. * 

CHAPEE XII. God-Hate Valley. Descrip- 
tion thereof. In the very Heart of Great Nation 
Depravity. Its Dismal Nights. Sickening Air ; 
Skum of Earth ; Deep Pits ; Smoke Spouts ; 
Earthquakes ; Black Eagles that Feed on Chil- 
dren ; Falling Mud ; Rot-Flesh Diseases ; Men 
Diink Blood for Wine ; Mt. Blasphemy ; its Per- 
petual Thunders ; Lake of Monsters ; Represents 
Laboring Conscience ; Mt. Temptation; Its Fra- 
grance and Beauty ; Its Deadly Touch ; River 
of Snakes; — Represents Lies ; The Image of 
Idols ; Covered with Men ; Fall Dead at its Base ; 
Horrible End; Name of the Image is, *'Covet- 
ousness ;" Mt. Holiness Afar Off; Impassables 
in the Way: (1) Falling Fires. (2) Infinite 
Storms. (3) Belching Pits. (4) Impassable 
Forests ; Bottomless Lakes ; Caves Full of Fly- 
ing Dragons. Prince Soul-Life in this Valley. 
Passed Up from it to Mt. Holiness. Left His 
Saints. Their Toils. Darkness Gives Way. Mt. 
Holiness in Sight. Its River. 'Tis the River of 
Life. Washes out the River of Lies, Its Lake 
of Monsters, Mt. Blasphemy, &c. The People 
Bathe. Are Clean. Life-Boats. Island and 
Landscape rise to View. A Perfect Crown of 
Joy. 

CHAPTER XIII. A Captive in Sand Chains. 



CONTENTS. 



21 



He Breaks Them. Comes to Prison Gate. Its 
Artificial Lock. Comes to Mock Guards. Es- 
capes Free. Beelzebub's Hold is Broken. Igno- 
rance, Sloth, and Unbelief are his Sand Eopes. 
Captivity is a large City. Desolation Swamp, 
Close thereto. A Fearful Beast Therein. His 
Legs Like Mill Posts ; His Hoofs as Balls of Iron 
His Teeth as a Sledge. Covered with Scales ; 
and a Serpent for a Tail ; Wings as of Short 
Swords ; his Flight. How Fearful ! The Name 
of this Beast is Unbelief. He that Slew Him 
was a child by the Name of Faith. Captivity, 
the Babylon of Nation Depravity. Its Beast 
Had Killed all Others in Battle. But Truth 
Broke all Her Chains ; Captivity City, Free. 
Great Joy and Gladness. Floating Island. Su- 
perstitions of its Inhabitants. Fate Nation ; King 
Fortuitous ; Chance God ; Caprice its Philoso- 
phy ; Think-So, its Religion. Its * 'Legends" 
of (1) A Sleeping Man, With Semi-Sense, and 
Semi-Wakeful, at Times. By-and-by He Wakes 
into Real Life. A Man of Gold Bones, Gold 
Nails, and Gold Teeth, Becomes Indolent and 
Lascivious. Mortgages a Tooth. Loses It. Then 
Another, and Another. Is Stolen by "Coast- 
ers." Is a Slave for Years. His Lord, By- 
and-By, Cuts off an Arm, for its Gold Bones. 
Plans his death. Afterwards Sets Sail for an 
Obscure Island. A Wave Upsets the Yacht. 
The "Lord" Sinks; the "Slave" Being Tied 
Recovers. Returns to His Freedom. Reforms 
His Life. Witnesses of Little Nation Humor the 



I 



22 CONTENTS. 

Romance Story. Satan has Coveted and Car- 
ried Man Afar Off. Prince Soul-Life, Recap- 
tured, Stolen Man. King Fortuitous calls for 
the Witnesses. They Teach Him. Fate Nation. 
Converted from Superstition — Civilized and 
Christianized. A Sinner Close to Mt. Sinai, 
He is is Set on Fire. Plunges into the Mud of 
Human Relief. No Better. Dives into the 
Ocean. Sets it on Fire. Is No Better. Springs 
into the Air. Sets it on Fire. Is No Better. 
Broods Over His Condition. Is Overheard by 
Apostles. At once led to Mt. Zion. Ah there. 
He is Better and Fully Relieved. 

CHAPTER XIY. The City of Indifference. 
King Heedless : His Dream ; A Base Subject in 
His Kingdom ; The King Favors Him ; Promotes 
Him and Finally Exalts Him. He Awakes From 
His Dream. Is Disquieted; Despises Even Him- 
self. Will Not Sleep for Fear of Dreaming. 
Almost Dead of Wakefulness. Falls to sleep, 
Sleeps for Days. Dreams Gloriously. Sees the 
King of Kings Come Down. Sees his Suffer- 
ings and Death. Beholds Him Rise Again. Sees 
Him with His Murderers in His Arms. Swoons 
Back With Astonishment. Calls for the Proph- 
ets. Full Instruction Given. They Leave. The 
King Thinks it all Over. Grows Worse. Tries 
Pleasure. It Fails. Calls the World. It Fails. 
He Again Calls for the Apostles. They Teach 
Him. He Must Leave His Throne, and Go With 
Them. He Starts. A Beggar is in their Company. 
The King Draws Back. They Teach Him Hu- 



/ 



CONTENTS. 23 

mility. He Consents to Go. His Disease is 
Heart-Stroke. Is Well Nigh Killing Him. 
They Start for the Cure. But the King forgot 
his Purse. Sends His Servant to get it. The 
Servant also Brings His Crown and Scepter. The 
Witness Object. The King Must Beg his Way. 
His Troubles Great. Sends for Wife and Chil- 
dren. They come, but he Grows Worse. Sends 
them Back. A Swift Messenger Comes. He is 
from the King's Court. They Call to Him : 
**Come Back, Come Back." He Thinks to Go. 
Looks Back, and it Gives Him an Awful Pain. 
Looks Back Again. His Pain Grows Worse. 
They all come to a Gate Called Test Gate. The 
Porter opens. The Beggar Passes in. Flaming 
Swords glitter Just in Front. These Represent 
Justice. Beo-orar Confesses His Sin. Passes on 
Through. The King at Test Gate. A Ques- 
tion : *'If Admitted, Will you Ever Turn Back?" 
Here the King Falls Down. By-and-by, He 
Rises to Answer. He is Admitted. A Thousand 
Keen Swords Trembled in His Face. He Dies 
Away. Is Taught to Trust. He Passes Out. 
Next they all Come to Mercy's Gate. The Beg- 
gar is Admitted. The King is Rejected. The 
Beggar Sees a Broad River. It is Swim or Die. 
Wades ill. Feels Better. Bounds Forward, and 
Shouted for eloy. The King Comes To. Enters 
Mercy's Gate as a Beggar. Passes Through. 
Trembles on the Bank of the River. Wades In 
— Raises a Shout, Swims Over and is at Rest. 



CHAPTER XV. The Apostles in a Dialogue. 



24 



CONTENTS. 



Great Care. His Complaints — Spiritual ^'hahes*^ 
but "carnal" giants. Patience Responds. The 
Spirit Starved. The Carnal Giant Fattened. In 
the Church ; but out of Christ. Father Talk- 
Smoothe Enters. Has a Tract, for *-Much 
Trouble." All Walk Alone for Hours. Much- 
Trouble Reads. Gets to a Smile. Then to a 
Laugh. Trouble All Gone. A Starved Soul. 
He First Fed it Praise. Then *'Gold," and 
"Carnal Ease." Then he Fed it Palatable Doc- 
trines, and "Hush Meats." Still Hungry. He 
Fed it Science, Poetry, Arts, Paintings, Litera- 
ture and Music. Still hungry. Then he Fed it 
Lies, Error, and SophLsm. Grows Sicker. Uses 
Lotions, Potions, Ointments, and Emetics. Then 
Gets Worse and Worse. Following this. He 
Uses Smother Down ; Stun Sense ;Stop Thought ; 
&c. Worse and Worse. Food and Medicine 
are now Mixed. Such as Go-Slow ; Do-Relig- 
ion; Law-Righteousness; Self-Merit, &c. The 
Witnesses Lead Him to the Bread of Life. He 
Eats and Satisfies His Soul Forever. St. Change- 
About. The Valley of Sweet-Meats. King 
Carnal. Difficult Pass, Saint is Badly Lost. 
Remembers Mt. Prospect, and Mt. Happiness. 
Is Overtaken by the Missionaries of Merc3^ 
Change- About Rehearses His Prodigality. Fluent 
Gab and Fair- Ado Led Him Astray. Is Now 
Wretched. Is Rebuked Gently ; but Encour- 
aged to Return. They Kneel in Prayer. He will 
Have to Fight King Carnal. They Start Out of 
Enticement Valley. Travel for Days. King 



CONTENTS. 



25 



Carnal is Met. Falls to Enticing. Is Rebuked. 
Threatens War. Is Bravely Met by St. Change- 
About, Now Named St. Soul-Royal. Bloody Af- 
fray. The Battle is Close ; but St. Falls on 
Top. Chokes King Carnal. Flees for Freedom. 
Mounts Hill Difficulty, and is in Sight of Mount 
Happiness. Raises a Shout. Silly Simple on 
Mt. Ignorance Steering the Clouds, Represents 
All Ignorant Saints. Fifteenth Scene. The Gi- 
ant of Earth. Wades Seas and Reaps Forests. 
Plays With King's Crowns. Laughs at War. 
Intemperance is his Name. Hell, His Harvest, 
The World Combines to Defeat the Giant. Times 
Greatest Battle. Little Nation Generaled the 
Whole Thing. Scene Sixteeiith. Mt. Reflec- 
tion and Mt. Substitution, Mt. Reflection 
Shows a Man's Sins ; — Deep Conviction. Mt. 
Substitution Provides the Remedy. There he 
Exchanges all his Olds for as Many News. Old 
Eyes and Hearts for New Ones. The * 'Olds' 
Cast at the Base of the Mt. into the Dead Sea. 
The End Comes. Signs Thereof. Then End 
Itself, Amen. 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



27 



CHAPTER ONE. 

Now, in the evening of the ages, it came to pass 
the Spirit of Light went abroad, and w^as met by 
the Spirit of Darkness that "went to and fro up 
and down in the earth." — Job, 1:7. The Spirit 
of Liglit had the appearance of the sun arrayed 
with wings that fanned the poles of the universe ; 
whilst the Spirit of Darkness stood upon the hills 
and lifted himself aloft till the one-half of all 
things was buried beneath his mighty shadow. 
Having assumed forms, which they do at will, any 
time or place, and in any shape or size, (Gen. 
3:1) they soon fell to words of the following 
kind : 

Spirit of Darkness : ''Most Excellent to be- 
hold, whence comest thou, O Winged Light ; and 
what name is enough good to keep blasphemy off 
of the lips of all that dare speak to thee ?' ' 
• Spirit of Light : '*! came from eternity (Rev. 
1:8), and beyond all worlds, rolling them along 
by the breath of my wings, till space, omnipres- 
ent, is enriched by the lights I have hung on 
high, (Gen. 1 : 14, 15), and my name is Jehovah, 



28 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



(Ex, 6:3), Emmanuel, (Matt. 1:23), Morn- 
ing Star, (Rev. 22 : 16), Eternal Life, (I John, 
5 : 20), Counsellor, (Isaiah, 9:6), Light of the 
World, (John, 8:12), Eesurrection, (John 11: 
25), Wonderful, (Isaiah, 9: 6), Son of Righteous- 
ness, (Matt. 4:2); Desire of all nations, (Hag. 
2:7). O Prodigy! Flying Darkness! whence 
comest thou, and what name delights to dwell 
with thee?" 

Spirit of Darkness: *'I fell from countless 
millions that float aloft where infinite day repels 
my return, (Luke 10: 18), and my name, after 
one of my great and ancient thrones, is called ''Lu- 
cifer," (Isaiah 14 : 12), is Satan, (Rom. 16 : 20), 
is Dragou, the old Serpent called the Devil; 
(Rev. 12 : 9), is Roaring Lion, (IPet.,5 :8), is God 
of this World, (II Cor. 4 : 4), is 'Spirit that work- 
eth in the children of disobedience, (Eph , 2:2). 
O Supernal IMajesty, heist thou a kingdom, and 
whereunto may I liken it?' " 

Spirit of Light: "I have a kingdom 'not of 
this world' (John 18 : 36), that is hard to be 'dis- 
cerned,' (John 3:3), and is likened to my Fa- 
ther who 'gave it to me,' (Matt. 28:18), when 
he nauKid me 'Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty 
God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, 
(Isaiah, 11:6). My kingdom, also, hath the ap- 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



29 



pearance of a little stone, hewn out of the moun- 
tain without hands,' and set a rolling till it filled 
the whole earth, (Danl. 2 : 34, 35). O Prince of 
Night, hast thou a kingdom, and Avhereunto shall 
I liken it?" 

Spirit of Darkness: **I reign a Monarch, 
'Prince of the power of the air,' (Eph., 2:2); 
my kingdom is like myself, (John, 8 : 44), for I 
built to my own well-pleasing, casting down a 
mighty race, by wily temptations, (II Cor. 11 : 
3), and am ready to fly in upon other worlds and 
capture them, so soon as I find the gates open that 
now enclose them in cowardly security. My king- 
dom is also renewed from time to time by recruits 
that fall thereto from the battlements on high, 
hurled down with broken wings, having been shot 
by the lightnings of awful contests that raged 
above. (Jude, 1 : 6). Now, may it not not please 
thee, O Prince of Day, as thou art flying abroad, 
may it not please thee to behold my dominions, the 
number thereof, the power thereof, and the in- 
crease thereof ?' ' ( Matt. 4:1.) 

Spirit of Light : ''O crown of all Ambition, thy 
kingdoms, and the number thereof, with the power 
thereunto belonging, and the glory thereof, will I 
behold, if thou wilt also let me manifest my reign 
likewise ; the extent thereof, with all its majesty ; 



30 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



and if my reign shall appear more glorious than 
thine, thou shalt certainly worship me, (Matt. 
4 : 10). I and my sons will speak to thee and thy 
sons ; and thou and thy sons shall speak to me 
and my sons ; all shall speak, even those of lowest 
shame, and of basest name, inasmuch as thou hast 
challenged me, so shall the shame of thy king 
dom be declared of thy sons with a zest : for 
in this, I will not allow thee to keep anything 
back. 

**Andto dash thy shame with awful confusion 
I will also speak of mine in fulness, that will be- 
labor thee into straits that will certainly break thy 
soul asunder." 

Spirit of Darkness: '*We will pile the hills 
abreast the skies, and make a play of all we have, 
till each of us shall know the utmost of our 
realms vast ; we will ransack universal all, and 
tax eternal heights and depths, to furnish an occa- 
sion equal to our respective worth, be it much or 
more; or most of all." 

Now / was as one that saw visions and dreams, 
looking aloft to see the wondrous play. My bed 
was a cot of dry moss swung by fairy hands mid 
the gardens of the gods ; and as the voluptuous 
swell of the seolian harp would rise and fall, I 
revelled mid ecstasies, as all seemed to float aloft 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



31 



and look down upon the wild cataracts of old 
earth as they thundered beneath. 

From ocean to ocean and from pole to pole, the 
Spirit of Darkness made a wild rush through his 
kingdom in frenzied haste, clamoring for all his 
gallant cohorts, to arouse the w^hole empire and 
make ready for the visit of a Foreign God, who 
had accepted a challenge for exhibition in com- 
parison. 

Now, as I beheld, storms, volcanoes and earth- 
quakes, the gorgeous habiliments of the skies 
took wonder captive ; and appalled the strength 
of giant reason; till the spectral hosts, flying 
through space, poised their wings abashed, and 
sought retreat from the reign of glories too aw- 
ful to behold I 

Whilst the Spirit of Darkness would leap from 
peak to peak, as midnight lightnings, in passing 
from one part of bis vast empire to another, — 
seizing his subordinates with frenzied animation, 
— lo and behold ! the Spirit of Light had filled 
the heavens with floating multitudes, in joyous 
play as they would swing, like pontoons of light 
from world to world, ever and anon bounding to 
the poles of space electrified with the never ceas- 
ing rhapsodies of heavenly music, serenading the 
comets at eve ; and greeting the morning stars 



32 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



with early songs of their joyous flight across the 
abundant heavens. 

Now I looked and beheld the high hills did 
bow themselves, and the deep oceans did lift 
themselves to make a grand highway all round 
the earth and from every quarter thereof ; so the 
foundation was firm, and the speed equal to the 
going of one that drives the comets ; or of him 
that spreads the mantle of day. 

The Spirit of Light, who begat Little Nation 
Sanctified, and the Spirit of Darkness, who is 
Monarch of Great Nation Depravity, are soon to 
dispose all hearts to hasten to one grand centre of 
attraction ; a fertile plain exceeding high and 
crowned with a Temple that could seat its mil- 
lions. This was so vast in size and uplifted upon 
its mount as to be seen hundreds of miles before 
they reached it. By strangely wrought lens and 
powerful batteries of reflection, light reached 
every nook and spot ; whilst ear trumps, talking 
bells, sounding boards, and telephones, conveyed 
sound and utterance to all parts in utmost satis- 
faction. Its floors of pellucid gold ; its language, 
one common tongue, uttered from an Ivory 
Throne in the center of all ; martialed by the 
gods themselves, with utmost order ; ventilation 
perfect ; access easy ; flowing with nectar ; thrill- 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



33 



ed with enchantment — no scene more resplend- 
ant than this, where the two gods of all space and 
dominions impose their presence, leaving men 
to act their natural instincts, but at the same 
time, inspiring the children of each to exhibit 
the NATURE of the god that is in him. 

But hush ! A wave of commotion rolls across 
the glories of the upper deep, and a going upon 
the souls of men, as only Higher Spirits can 
move ; and I see the Spirit of Darkness circling 
round and round the waiting Temple, till sudden- 
ly he transforms himself into an * 'Angel of 
Light," and perches upon its glittering spire. 
2 Cor. 11 :14. But, who can describe the glory 
of the Light within ; for Satan on the Pinna- 
cle of the Temple is not half so glorious as a 
better than he that dwells within. See Matt. 4: 
5, and 1 Kings 8:10, 11. 

The gods coming from the poles of space have 
met on earth, calling their legions face to face. 
Being gods, they convey their hosts with divine 
speed and the elegance of finest fancy. 

They come ! they come ! seas are capped with 
foam ; air ships with snow white sails are passing 
over ; they stream along the golden highway as 
currents of electricity, whilst drifting clouds like 
golden chariots assist many more. 



34 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



But hark I they've reached the rendezvous; 

I bear the chiming hell at last ; 
The storms that hore them cease to blow, 

And now begins the high repast. 

Emperor Propriety advances to the throne, and 
with gavel in hand called for Order ; so every- 
thing was at once reduced to a breath. Where- 
upon Prof. Tune, from a nation called ''Civil- 
ized," and a Prince, from ** Sanctified Nation," 
come to his feet, and suggested singing ; whilst 
Col, Promptness moved, and Hon. Concurrence 
followed with a second ; as thousands cried, 
"Aye ;" so a chorus of voices chimed in with the 
tune of *'01d Hundred," to the following words: 

Of one blood made the Lord all men 

To dwell on all the earth abroad; 
His care is such as knows no end ; 

Hence, let us sing his praise abroad. 

From Him the hosts of nations come, 

He's Potentate, and raliug Lord, 
O'er all dominions merged in one, 

Controlled by his Eternal Word. 

O, move the tides of darkness hence, 

Cement all hearts as one of love ; 
Give us thy strong and sure defence. 

That we may reign with thee above. 

Here I saw and beheld Little Nation Sanctified 
raise the loudest voice in this praise ; such as 
had lived by her, sang somewhat ; whilst the 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 35 

tribes afar sulled the song aback from them, 
speaking of the many excellent gods, known to 
their fathers and given to their children. 

Then I beheld Satan smiled, for knowing he is 
the **god of this world" and that all in the Tem- 
ple, except Little Nation Sanctified, were his 
children (John 8 :44) most all this praise fell at 
his feet, as well he knew. 

Next they proceed to organize for business. 
Whereupon King Expediency arose and S3.id : 
"Empires, Kingdoms, Realms, Dynasties, Gov- 
ernments, Republics, and peoples : I move, we 
proceed to elect all Officers by an unseen vote. 
Lord Democracy rose to a second, and the Tell- 
ers reported as follows : Right Honorable Lord 
Wisdom, for President, and Chief -Justice Discre- 
tion, Admiral Self-possession, Prof. Knowledge 
and Dr. Good-order, as Helpers ; General All- 
speed, Hon. Clearhead, Mr. Dispatch, Mr, Do-it- 
Right and Sir Never-Fail, for Clerks and Scribes. 
Those men of renown and position stepped to 
the front and made a bow of thanks, and at once 
set to the task cast about them. 

Now, in my dream, I looked and saw Lucifer 
smile again; and as he smiled he said, (for he 
spake to his own complacent majesty): "Presi- 
dent Wisdom is one of my mightiest men for it 



36 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



is the ^'Wisdom of this world" (ICor. 2:6) 
and all his compeers are also the *' children of 
this world," who in their generation are wiser 
than the ''children of light." (Luke 16 :8). 

President Wisdom, as was premised in that 
first summons, that aroused all nations, and inci- 
ted them to come to a World's Convention, 
stated the design of this memorable occasion was 
to exhibit the children of two several kingdoms, 
with their traits of mind, qnalities of heart and 
powers of soul. 

There was at this juncture the ringing of the 
great golden Bell, whose thundering tones could 
be heard away off, down in the plains of the 
neighboring nations. And I saw many wept 
whilst the solemn chime pealed a joyous lay ; for 
it made those of Little Nation Sanctified feel like 
the end of time was close at hand, whereunto they 
oft looked with watchings and fastings. (Matt. 
11:15.) 

But when Lucifer saw the tears of Little Nation 
Sanctified, and also heard a great multitude sing 
far up in the sky (Job 38 :7 and Luke 2 :13 ;14.) 
he forthwith stopped the ringing of the great Bell, 
for he was displeased to see any thought, that did 
not turn itself to him. (Acts 5 :40.) 

Now, it came to pass, when Lucifer had thus 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



37 



displayed himself Arch Eoyal over all those as- 
semblies, even rebuking the liberty of those who 
had left Great Nation Depravity, and joined them- 
selves unto Little Nation Sanctified, that Jehovah 
drew very near unto him, and rebuked after the 
following sort : 

**0 Vain Usurper and Lord-in-Chief of be- 
witching arts, I, thy peer and more than peer, 
have watched the flow of thy smile, and the play 
of thy hand, as two kingdoms here meet in grave 
reverse to settle the right of eternal scepter ; till 
naught of chance or place is honored me, save 
crowded nook, or scant reserve of right. Pray, 
who spread the starry heavens, and built, as their 
palace, vaults of blue, unconfined at large V Whose 
hand, (mine or thine), rolled eternal space from 
pole to pole infinite wide? Whose word, O Potent 
Pride, (mine or thine), caused everlasting dura- 
tion to rise paramount, the day of creation's birth? 
And yet, on this Temple Arch thou sittest, my 
Lord, reluctant, slow to give my guards and saints 
an humble seat, or breath of freedom scant, in all 
these auditories vast.'* 

Whereunto, Lucifer responded, with crafty 
grace, in the following sort and way : *'0 God, 
afar, reverse thy lofty sense on all I've done ; and 
pray review my course with lighter blame ; since, 



38 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



I at home, and thou from far art come, to grace 
my courts with guestly smiles. O Ancient God, 
this vast world is mine ; seen to such grand ad- 
vantage from this 'exceeding high mountain,' with 
'all its kingdoms and the glory thereof,' and when 
I will, invite other gods to view this, my magnifi- 
cent estate ; if, with submissive look, they hail me 
CHIEF of all that rise in court, or walk these lawns 
of refreshing rest. See, now, O Restless Might, 
my hosts are legions here, whilst thine scarce 
make one think of a 'little stone,' a 'grain of 
mustard seed,' or something deeply lost in 'three 
measures of meal,' because of such minor parts. 
In fact, thy paltry few can well afford an humble 
seat mid throngs so vast as my countless offspring 
here are found to l^e. Behold, for miles around 
tliis rising centre they wave my banner, (and not 
thine), as royal lines of lordly kings and queenly 
forms stream round these aisles ; whilst thou, O 
Foreign God, hast only an humble name, poised 
here and there, abashed for want of social air. 
Over all this scene before our gaze, of mine, I 
count a million merry camps, joyous circling 
round ; whilst thine, a gloomy few, sit in sombre 
tents with disappointed gaze upon the lively march 
of all my circling files. 

"To be thy god, I would not seem ; since gods 



FREEINa THE CAPTIVES. 



39 



have no god ; but god of martial millions, now 
afloat before thine eyes, 1 am. 

"O Guest Divine, let it please thee now to hear 
MY SONS SPEAK ; f or I have in my realm scores of 
minor kingdoms, and diverse nationalities, each of 
which have on this ground an orator of finished 
parts, sent with qualified charge to rehearse all 
things in brief that reflect the peculiar traits of 
each/' 

God of gods : *'Thy sons I will hear, be they 
seeming chaste or coarsely vile ; and since I am 
God Supreme, and thy reign is revolt to mine, 
their speech shall surely betray them and thee, by 
unveiling the heart of thy kingdom in the clear 
light of my law, which is thy judge. 

* 'And rest assured, when thy sons have disclosed 
the fullness of thy estate, my sons, as yet not 
seen of thine eyes, eclipsed by the glitter of re- 
splendant dross, shall rise to speak to this same 
occasion of all the glories of my Dominion, till 
of right, I slay thy pride and rule in power, 
where, with crafty cheat I am grossly called **A 
Guest," more than worshipped as a GOD." 



40 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER TWO. 



Now in my dream I looked over the Congress 
of Beelzebub. And lo ! It was vast, and of im- 
posing grandeur. The heads of at least seventy 
different Tribes sat next to his throne, most of 
whom were primed with oratory for the occasion. 
His Tribes, though differing, after all, were mys- 
teriously wedded in one amazing compact of loy- 
alty to His Majesty, who is called the '*God of 
this world." His Spirit was the soul of all, 
with mighty talents, diverse in gifts and kind, yet 
all ruled and swayed by that Eternal **Serpent" 
that chained the race to his arm when only two 
composed its whole. Stately Courts, with Royal 
guise, spread out in countless folds before him ; 
and gallery after gallery circled round his cen- 
tral shrine. Yast intellects; graceful shapes; 
cultured talents ; and burning genius, were there 
assembled ; and though High Heaven adjudges it 
all of Ruin's realm, yet seen of eyes, that see 
naught but time and earth, it was splendor un- 
eclipsed. 

Though Soul, and Thought, and Conscience 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



41 



full engaged, with Bodies, still erect as shaped 
in Eden, yet all enthralled of Sin, did show al- 
legiance full, to that Shadowy Light, dark in 
Heaven, but bright on earth, that sat the god 
of fallen Man. Mid splendors thus arrayed one 
now rose to speak, whose name was Intellect, 
received and fully charged of Satan god. 

Now the assembly was pleased, when they saw 
him by the name of Intellect, beckoning with 
the hand to speak to the multitudes, and began 
at once to cheer him with loud applause. Said 
he: **I am Intellect, and by my own divinity, 
comprehend truth, obtain knowledge, and 
reach conclusions. Mind is more than matter, 
and improvement is the law of our being ; 
so we travel up the scale, making progress 
from the beginning up to this present, and 
yet of self exertion expect to rival even gods 
themselves. 

Thus far we have become masters of the seas, 
and all lands, so as to make their inexhaustible 
store available ; we have brought down the forked 
lightnings of heaven, and made them the great 
packhorse of nations, spanning oceans, whilst 
continent talks with continent, as face to face ; 
we plow the foaming seas of all earth, by boiling 
water compressed in hot iron, and thus drive the 



42 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



commerce of nations from zone to zone and from 
shore to shore. 

Knowledge is coming to the front and we will 
yet perforate the earth to her deepest lava beds ; 
and mount the air to its utmost subtlety. Truth 
is the bread of the mind, and eating it we grow 
to be gods. We are making pyramids of books, 
crystalizing thought till lore and erudition are 
now in the estates of the most common. So 
cheer up, ye candidates for immortal honors, since 
toil and time will yet crown you potent lords of 
Earth." 

Now at his conclusion the nations roared a 
burst of applause like the crash of mountain 
thunder ; for King Intellect was promoted by 
the nations even from the very beginning. Then 
did Satan also smile as he spake to himself : * * See 
what mighty sons bring honor to my name ; and 
what mighty powers of thought the god of this 
world employs in the prosecution of all his tem- 
poral affairs. I wonder (said he to himself) if 
the God that is now visiting me will not grow 
faint, to see the mighty strength of some of my 
sons of renown, and will not his perspicacity, 
at all events, lead him to the thought, it 
would be hard for any god to over ride my king- 
dom, since giant reason and stalwart thought 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



43 



are here bestowed in such Livish endowments." 

Then I beheld Lucifer cast a look of defiant 
sociability upon Jehovah, who sat mid bright- 
est light, that glared the arena of Beelzebub's 
multitudinous Congress, and thus addressed In- 
finite God: **0 MIGHTY SENSE.— /rule with 
fluent ease by making my subjects believe they 
are gods with me ; nor bound about with irk- 
some toils, or hard restraint. This I do by 
swaying thought ; and thought I sway by first 
swaying heakt. So known, or not to them, I 
live in each soul of all that's mine ; and make it 
just the same as one with me. How rulest thou, 
pray tell me O Coequal Might?" 

To this, Supernal Wisdom made response: 
<*They Rule, though sin is based the same as mine 
— ^to sway the thought by swaying heart, but O 
Potent Deceiver, why let thy great mind drift in 
toil of fruitless reasonings ? Shall sorry false- 
hood make thee God, since open Revolt hast 
made thee Devil? Loyalty to thee, is dislyalty to 
Me; and to drift at ease in sin, as ' ease^ is thy 
boast, is surest fall at last ; whilst not to know, 
beyond his utmost strains, reached by eternal 
search, there looms a realm Divine no man can see 
save by my Omnipotent gifts, brought down to 
illume all this wilderness of ignorance and sin, 



44 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



where thy vaunting rule makes fatal fools of all 
that share with thee, thy made estate. 

To be a god, O Serpent of luxuriant boast 
makes thy kingdom Divine. I challenge thee, 
yea I challenge thee by all Infinite Holy things 
to prove thy kingdom is divine. Nor will I rest 
in suit ; nor let thee rest at all till this is done. 

If not divine, thy lordly boast shall slay thee 
with deaths, ten thousands, over and over." 

Now it came to pass, when all this mighty 
speech was made of God to Fallen Pride, restrain- 
ing wrath (to seem at ease) Beelzebub, thus ad- 
dressed the Lord Supreme: *Divine' — sacred 
speech — I am divine, as shall appear in speeches 
fine: my law, my rule, my sons, my dukes, all 
divine ; as now I will show in brief array of much 
I have in store, with which to crowd these days 
with success untold. * Divine,' thou say est, O 
Lofty Judge; I swear by all I have I ^rove my 
kingdom is divine ; by three eternal thoughts 
which first, second and third, I now suggest to 
ease, at once, thy laboring mind — I am a god, 
first of all in Inner Resource ; then as truly one 
in Outer Display; and as gods and their subjects 
are happy withall, a god I am fully shown in the 
endless rounds of joy and fun my kingdom yields 
its countless hosts. So, here refuting God, I stay 
my cause." 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



45 



Following all this was one by the name of 
Language who had served the nations from the 
beginning, imposing on some rich gifts, and on 
others fevver and feebler words. 

He made a gladsome salute, and proceeded as 
follows : *' I do the talking of earth, and lay a 
gift of words, and utterance upon every tongue of 
Adam's sons, except a rare denial here and there, 
I have left in mute silence to teach others the 
value of my gifts. I grow, both in number, and 
in kind ; for from one we have increased to thous- 
ands, having deposited rich stores in the archives 
of the Orients, no more articulated among men. 
So I am rolling on, as a rapid river of ocean 
breadth, bearing upon my crested bosom the 
story of woes, and of wonders ; the prophecies of 
weal, and the records of unalterable doom ; the 
chafings of cruelty, and the stories of mercy ; the 
ceaseless wranglings of ten thousand religions, 
and all the deeds of blundering mortals, with 
truth, lies, oaths, vulgarities, songs, prayers, his- 
tories and sciences, all these in one moving mass 
borne abreast upon the mountain wave of m}' 
swelling currents. I am legion ; for, in the En- 
glish alone, I have a store of one hundred thous- 
and words, saying nothing of thousands of other 
tongues, idioms and dialects ; so with these I bear 



46 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



the thinking world onward from age to age uni- 
ting all generations in one vast brotherhood of 
thought and sentiment. I voice the heart and 
feelings of men and gods, and work divine ends 
and purposes throughout all worlds and that for 
time and unmeasured duration. I said: *-Let 
there be light," and very soon swung down from 
heaven, to illume the depths of eternal chaos that 
rolled beneath till bottomless night was all ajjlow 
with searching day. No god has wrought without 
my help \ and man was born of pregnant words." 

Thus it came to pass as he ended his wondrous 
story, many met him and crowned him with 
wreaths, laurels and glittering diadems. Satan 
also spake in his own praise, as follows : Cer- 
tainly with the many tongues my tribes possess I 
can beseige and utterly nonplus all those gods 
whose kingdoms enjoy the use of only one lan- 
guage. Let other gods draw nigh and behold the 
matchless excellence of my dominion as seen in 
the orders now passing before me from day to 
day. What god is there that has grown in num- 
bers and prospects as I, even whose godship is 
denied and that by Respectful Guests ! ' ' 

After this a Prince of great power, with a Po- 
tentate of mighty sway, stood before the congre- 
gation greeting each other, hand in hand, whilst 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



47 



they thus discoursed in the hearing of all tne peo- 
ple : *'I reach conclusions by the use of facts 
and truths in the premises ; and my name is 
Meditation at Work. I pass from low to lofti- 
est range ; for the wisest things that wisest g'o^is 
reveal I wreathe in around my brow, as crown of 
all I am." 

Potentate-Instinct; "^^^lilst I use neither 
truth, facts, nor yet reason, I hnoio, without 
labor or study, lessons that seem divine ; thus act- 
ing with the independence of a god. I take im- 
mediate care of all my subjects so soon as they 
enter my kingdom, infants wisely turning to the 
source of all their wants. Yea, Instinctive im- 
pulse is mysterious greatness in man, as hard to 
be understood as Sovereign volition in the order 
of highest gods." 

Reason: *'From childhood to manhood my 
growth has been by feeding upon the rich 
meats of literature, elevating more and more ; till 
all things seem to succumb at my feet, whilst I 
reign in grand supremacy. Thus I climb the lad- 
der of meditation till I reach wisdom's lofty sum- 
mit where flames the lustre of realms divine ! ! 

Instinct : **I was born upon my acme, so when 
I first awoke into existence I found myself upon 
the throne of my empire, governing, as it were, by 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



divine inspiration. Now it is much of the time 
mankind can scarce tell whether it is my hand, or 
thine, that reins him along the way of life ; for 
whilst Reason extracts wisdom out of truth, in- 
stinct is wisdom^ without either knowledge or re- 
flection." 

Reason: *'Yea, neighbor Instinct, we have 
long ruled together and been of mutual help 
through many vicissitudes ; for our sway is in- 
separably blended. We reign as twin Kings, the 
crown of man's mightiest glory." 

Now in the endings of these mutual dealings, 
there was a burst of applause from Satan's Con- 
gress, whilst ten thousand strong men shook 
hands with each other over the great character 
awarded mankind, though called the sons of Satan. 

His Satanic Majesty also smiled, as he said to 
himself : **My kingdom is divine; or divine things 
take human shape; so in any sense, divine it is, 
with all things high or low, except this jealous God. 
So let my god-like Dukes come on, to prove me 
god, and more ; even ARCH-god, though wronged 
with jealous taunt, and chafed with challenge of 
immodest aim." But the grand play of Beelze- 
bub's Courts went on; and Satan's greed, for 
name Divine, caused another sou to speak. 

Said he : *'My name is Perseverance. A god. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



49 



in the very nature of things, can not fail; and 
Perseverance hardly knows that that word is 
framed for human speech. He knows of con- 
flicts dire and victories rare ; having slain in bra- 
vest war myriads of opposers that rose and fell, 
along the long line of six thousand years ; but, 
*'fail" he has scarcely seen in ten thousand cir- 
cuits made around this world of countless aims 
and busy does." Then he mixed a cunning play 
illustrative of his witty w^ords. He took a hoop 
and said : *'We are like this hoop; for No- End 
is my name." He then pointed to day and night 
and said: **We resemble day and night, which 
stay not for naught that bids them halt ; for No- 
Halt is my name." Then he cited us to the 
ceaseless pouring of a thundering cataract that 
made the earth quiver beneath its incessant fall 
— as he said : '* Stay-Not is our name. "After that 
he turned his captivated audience to a vast river — 
that sank its everlasting floods into the hollow 
earth beneath and thus remarked : " We are like 
that, all that, for Sink-Trouble is our name." 
Then he took his seat, leaving the masses full 
jolly with the plan of his presentation. 

But Satan had another son, who made him proud 
in all this war, that sought the name of being god; 
whom now he charged to speak and crown his 



50 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



store, that proves that Beelzebub is divine. So 
all the courts and halls of Congress, Lucifer's 
stately Home, gave heedful care, as one by the 
sacred name of Conscience took the stand, with 
flaming speech, to orate the best estate of all in 
Satan's gaudy plan. Said he: "Conscience is 
the divine in man, and keeps him nigh the Eter- 
nal Throne that sways eternal all. It takes its 
stand for Royal Right, being never known to vol- 
unteer to lead in search of willful sin. Gods are 
said to p'r^e^;e; and so does Conscience grieve ; 
though sacred sense and purest light that flames 
from real life, till man (of some condemned.as 
wholly bad) is next to gods, a being grandly 
good. Gods rejoice ; and so is Conscience full of 
joy, when free to act his holy wish in all that 
looks to God or man, to death or time, and end- 
less hopes of fairer life to come. I scorn the 
low; condemn the vile ; curse the base, and never 
walk the lines of lust, pride or wrangling hates. 
I cheer the good, extol the right, and teach the 
law of righteous loves throughout all generations 
of men ; and engage to serve the gods from whom 
our store of revelations comes." 

Saying thus, he took his seat mid loud ap- 
plause of thundering millions, while Satan loom- 
ed an ''Angel of light," floating as a cloud in 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



51 



vast array above the temple spire, to view afresh 
the world at large, over which he reigns a god 
with much invio^orated charo^e. 

Then I looked, and lo, the whole of Satan's 
council was one tumultuous outburst of praise 
and excitement ; for heing7nen, Satan had proved 
they were almost gods ; and being vile, he makes 
them feel they rank among the highest good. So 
seized of vaofue relio^ious «:ush, all Cono-ress 
merged the day in sacred mirth, to sweep the 
lawns of forests green and plash the waves of 
sunny lakes, as songs resound and laughter 
charms the woodland gay. 

For hours they range the hills and feed and 
feast on luscious meats, bestrewn throughout tha^ 
garden of gods, where richest fruits hang in lux- 
uriant smiles from every bough ; or lay in folds 
along the lines of all its crystal streams. 

They milk the gentle fold of strolling kine 
that graze in sweet repose the richly glebe ; and 
mix the butler of the yielding flock, with moun- 
tain sweets. They freely pluck from rocks or 
hanging knots on honey-bearing trees; as the 
whole valley quakes with the fat of its insup- 
portable store of numberless goods. Now as Sa- 
tan sat as a god in the very heart of all this 
wealth, this praise, and roundelay of carnal be- 



52 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



attitudes, Jehovah thus addressed this wicked 
god in following strains : 

**0, Eaging Pride, for many days thou hast 
belabored thy strength to instruct Infinite Wis- 
dom. One of Beelzebub's raving lies, shot with 
convulsed force from explosive hell, and circling 
over to fail upon the fated earth, has been thy 
long and frothy chat to prove thou art a god ! 
Thy History all forgot is blotted out from thee ; 
else it would tell thy story of old, how thou didst 
rise in heaven a god to be, and come plunging 
out of glory to fawn thy way through this wil- 
derness of unabreviated lies. Though Satan 
fell as lightning from heaven," spralled a mass of 
quivering hates upon this earth, yet here he rises 
(though Devil he is) to be a god, and thus annul 
thy history, full known to universal worlds. 

And yet, despite this omnific fact, the sons of 
earth are here arrayed to prove thee god, whom 
thou hast taught to lie, and feed on lies, since 
Adam fell. Where is thy divinity now, since 
never more than an Angel yonder; and vastly 
less down here ? 

Thou answerest, thou art a god because of di- 
vine attributes found in man, such as '* Intellect,' 
*'Eeason," "Instinct," ''Language," Perse- 
verance," and "Conscience," claimed by thee 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



53 



for thy sons. Ah, to make man a god, would 
still leave tliee^ Devil ! Alas, for thee and tliy 
poor logic ! For well thou knowest. Intellect, 
Keason, Conscience, and all, were given man of 
me; but rohhed of ail, hy thee \ whilst through 
this ruin waste of sin in anxious search, thou 
art to-day seeking proof against the truth. 

Infinite shame should bleed thy blush, and lay 
thee in the darkest pit of night forever :for man, 
by thee led in sin, is not even man; much less a 
god, for himself, and then enough to make a god 
of thee. O bewail thy doom ; for whilst mil- 
lions dance on yonder hill, in maddest praise to 
thee and them, I alone the God of all, as well 
known to thee, despite this awful train of speech 
fi'om sons and dukes of thine, that blaspheme 
heaven, and land mankind on floods of billowy 
night, to lash eternal void with cries no one will 
heed." 



54 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER THREE. 

But Hark ! Hark ! it is the chiming of the 
great goklen bell on Orient Hill, hard by the 
Temple; it called the concourse again to meet 
and resume the play of nations ; so they came in 
ten thousand flying chariots entering the Tem- 
ple through a hundred capacious gates ; till myr- 
iads, inflamed with enthusiasm, prosecute the 
study of man, who is the son of mighty gods ; 
havinf^ first been made arioht, but afterwards 
changing gods, he was himself sadly changed to 
suit his Infinite loss. So nation Beauty sat over 
against a tribe called Ugly ; for Beauty was 
vain, and loved a flammg contrast in its favor. 
Nation Beauty, however, in most respects, was 
a weak nation; whilst the tribe, called Ugly, were 
generally hardy and stout ; most of them having 
forgotten they were homely, whilst the collec- 
tion of Beauties seldom let the thought of beau- 
ty get out of their minds. They were fair to 
behold, but had thought so much about their 
pretty faces and forms, and so little about any- 
thing else, their souls were empty and their 
7ninds exceeding void. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



55 



Furthermore, there were a people there, called 
ExTT, sitting over against another tribe, called 
Jealousy, and they were exceeding lean for pas- 
sions cruel as the grave were devouring them. 
Also there was a tribe of Liars present : hut no 
one desired to hear them speak. 

Weeping tribe sat weeping, weeping, weep- 
ing, at things present, past, and future; and 
their tears gall them, for their troubles were 
deep. But there was a collection of people that 
abounded in rapturous laughs ; and this people, 
called Laughing, were more notorious for their 
mirth, levity of heart, and jollity of soul, than 
for any other virtue or vice. 

Also in their midst was Social, tribe who talked 
and talked ; for loquacity was the kind of com- 
merce in which they dealt ; whilst Sullen tribe 
talked but little, and very much disliked those 
who did. Lauo^hino: tribe and Talkinor tribe 
were together much of their time ; whilst Weep- 
ing tribe sat over, neighbor to a people called 
Melancholy, and were oft provoked at the ex- 
ceeding good humor of the Laughers and Talkers. 

So also a community, called Good-to-Borrow, 
were located close to a community styled, very 
appropriately, Poor-to-Loan ; neither did they 
fancy each others ways, and soon as convenient. 



56 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Good~to-Borrow got as far off from Poor-to-Loan 
as possible^ for these two never did get along 
well together. 

But when Wish-to-Marry came in and found 
also a numerous community already seated, by 
the quaint name of IVIarriageable, they wished 
not to be seated too far from them ; so they 
waited upon each other with committees to know 
what about it; and after many efforts and a grand 
change all round, finally got in lovely distance of 
each other, and set loving as a luscious game. 

Furthermore there was the people, called Kich- 
AND-TiGHT, surrounded by a people having the 
vulgar name of Hard-Up, and the two in most 
cases despised each other ; yet were in many 
respects very dependent upon each other ; never- 
theless their associations were scant; for '*the 
rich did often oppress the poor." 

Then did Satan turn to his Royal Guest, as 
thus he addressed a set of words with lively 
praise to his own abundant weal : 

**0 God of gods,- see how vast the room for 
gods aside from thee ; since all this world, by thy 
consent of old, is mme to rule ; whilst all born 
into this prolific state are "by nature" mine and 
do the works of their father, *'the god of this 
world." 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



57 



How great must be thy central store ; since all 
this rich diversity of mine is foreign goods by thee 
let to another lord to rule and mutiply in count- 
less folds ! In fact the Universe at large is held 
in joint compact among its many lords; of 
which I am one ; for each to build it, and grow 
himself and all he has into a state divine ; till in 
the race, one fairly wins all things once held by 
weaker hands. O Aged God, let thy sagacious 
eyes be pleased to see my rapid growth since I 
begun this world; (compared with thme), of 
very modern date ! I do aver my splendor here 
bespeaks me quite a god ; even divine for splen- 
dors rich and rare flame the whole earth ; since 
I began to build my rival godship in this remote, 
but richest, field of universal space. Let me show 
thee now the glory of the whole earth, for it cant 
be a world so grand, as I have made this my home, 
IS a world without my rule." 

Following this was one with a calm and serene 
look, who with a motion forward and earnest 
sway, made a gladsome salute and spoke as fol- 
lows : 

*'My name is Luck. Tis a sharp name and 
of happy sound ; sometimes misleading the 
thoughts of the people, for it is not so much 
Luck, as it is cunning, pluck and crafty industry. 



58 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



It consists in hnowing and doing ; rather than the 
blind cleverness of fate. We abhor the doctrine 
of partial chance ; and propose the same conduct 
in our slothful, and less prosperous neighbors 
will give them the same desirable result. 

It is not by **fairy enchantment," so much as 
by attention and a tough will in the matter. Luck 
has two eyes ; if it was blind it would fall into 
the ditch. Luck has active hands and steps 
along lively, eats just enough, is always on time, 
sleeps in proper quantities, and at proper times ; 
and has no bad habits. He will not enter a 
jumbled up mind ; nor work for the lazy ; nor 
build for him that throws down ; nor hear the cry 
of sluggards, that pen a pig and then pray for 
providence to feed it : or, of him that digs up a 
tree, and calls for Providence to plant it; or that 
spends a night in carousals, and then expects the 
day following to be prosperous. This, dear 
friends, is our version of this much abused ques- 
tion of so-called Luck." 

Having thus spoken, he made a gallant bow, 
thanking them for the seeming interest they had 
taken in his chat and stepped to his seat the very 
impersonation of dispatch and tact; whilst the 
crowds waved their hands and shouted him a 
cheer of much welcome. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



59 



Then did Satan thus address his visiting God ; 
Omnipotent Dispatch, seest thou this son of 
my glory? And how he and his brethren have 
crowded all my stores with the fat of the land, 
until my hills glitter with wreathed estates ; and 
my rivers run with the oil of wealth." After 
this the play went on ; and just at this junc- 
ture, one, by the name of Always-Behind, rose to 
his feet and moved that these speeches should be 
submitted for print, so that all could re-read them 
at their return ; and so that the millions deprived 
of the privilege of being present, might know of 
the great lessons taught on this unexampled oc- 
casion; where-upon old man Blind-Impulse cried 
a second before there could be a decent arrest of 
the mischief : for it was all thus arrano:ed in the 
Compendium ; so that old man Yes- Yes, who had 
risen to a speech, was forced to further silence for 
want of a place to put a talk. 

Now followed all this, an interesting sight to 
behold; for there came out upon the platform, 
tlirte^ hand in hand, Old-age, Middle-age and 
Youth. 

The manner of their dialogue was this : Old- 
age spake one line. Middle-age spake one sentence 
and Youth spake one; and so continued the 
round. 



60 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Old-age: **My days are almost passed." Mid- 
dle Age : *'I am in the midst of my years." 

Youth. *'I am looking bouyantly forward." 

O. *'I have exhausted the fire of life and sim- 
ply stand before you as a staff of ashes." 

M. '*I am now in the prime of life, and stand 
upon the meridian of my days." 

Y. *'They tell me I am impulsive, rash, hope- 
ful, inexperienced, self-willed, nothing known, 
and all to learn." 

O. * 'Old men have 2^z5c?om." 

M. "Men of middle age \i2,\^ fortitude ^ 

Y. "I read, youth has the fire of impulse and 
unquencliable ardor. ' ' 

O. "Having upon me the crown of many, 
many years,! represent about one hundredth of this 
race." 

M. "I represent about one-fourth." 

Y. "Of course therefore I represent the re- 
maining three-fourths of the living population." 

O. "Life has been to me a disappointment." 

M. "To me a perplexing reality it is." 

Y. "To me it promises exceeding much." 

"Old or young, the grave is the common fate 
of all that lives," said they all at once and bowed 
from before the people. 

Then did Martial Noble announce that a literal 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



61 



representation of the three ages was to be seen on 
the first floor of the temple; and, looking there, 
the people beheld it, packed and crowded, three 
quadrants therefore, occupied by infants, minors 
and youths ; one quadrant, or thereabout, occu- 
pied with those of middle age, whilst on an ex- 
treme front sat a few men of great age and palsied 
nerve who were waiting the last summons of time. 

Then did the Serpent" speak to his Guest 
Supreme as follows: Eoving Majesty, hast 
thou ever yet, in all thy search, found a god like 
to myself? For the countless dust that falls from 
my feet, Avhen I choose to walk rather than fly, 
rise up to run as men. No kingdom like mine, 
since dust of earth renews itself in man divine ! 
My numbers increasing from generation to gener- 
ation, till ashes here rise to men, and crown my 
store with intellectual might, grown from dust 
and floating specks that fall to earth to rise a god, 
and help me rule my store ! Thou Graceful 
Shape of wings and light, from world to world in 
endless flight, hast thou ever found a god so bless- 
ed as /, whose soot and ashes, on wing of Avind or 
drift of tide, are made to leap to lofty life, and 
fill my courts with helpful gain?" 

Jehovah answers : "Oh Monarch of Darkness, 
as I was passing peacefully through thy kingdom. 



62 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



thou didst hail me to halt, saymg : ^Oh Bright 
Majesty, tarry yet a little, for the day is nigh to 
hand, in which I, the god of this world, will pass 
all my kingdom before my face for inspection, 
and to shed lustre upon my crown. Tarry, O 
Shapeless Light, and let me tempt thee with the 
sweeping grandeurs of my flaming hosts.' And 
noWjBeelzebub, as I look upon thy moving mass- 
es, I am made to exclaim : Thy kingdom is a 
staff of ashes and a wilderness of graves ! To-day 
they are born ; to-morrow they die. But, play 
thy hand, and let us see thy further pomp, since 
pomp it is that makes thee god. Inflate the bub- 
ble of thy pride, till it shall force thy peering head 
to pip the skies ; so when I bring a second blast 
of truth to blow thy thoughts like seasoned chaff 
to fall full dry in hell's hot plain, thy godship 
claim, by this long play of surface flash, will fail 
thee yet, though all this while 1, thy god, allow 
thee sway to mount thy claim and put thy seat on 
lofty shame. Thy kingdom is made of graves, 
as seen in yon seat of bowmg age ; for gods or 
not, thy sons all die and make their graves around 
thy throne." 

Next came forth Prince Vanity. He was intro- 
duced to the assembly, by Lord Pompous, and 
fore-run, in a few remarks, by Col. Display, who 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



63 



was in company with three others, Lord Chancel- 
or Presumption, Rabbi Insolence and Prof. Wise- 
Look : Brio^adier-Make-A-Show standino^ not far 
off. So Vanity began his harrague as follows : 

**The vulgar regard us as vain ; but we have a 
righteous abhorrence of all things mild, common, 
of show dress, or of low estate. Even modesty 
is cowardice ; and what is commonly called 'a 
sense of propriety' is simply social stupidity. If 
you will to-day allow your superiors to teach you 
some of the rudiments of social literature, we will 
insist that proudness, egotism, arrogance, bombast, 
self conceit and presumption are, after all, suf- 
ferable graces. The so-called politeness of the 
times is sheer timidity, and the more brazen 
and forward yon can induce your children to 
be, the more praiseworthy shall it be considered. 

''If you can scorn an inferior and make him 
wither, you have taken honor and power to your 
name. Ostentation very much enlarges one's 
store of self-complacency ; and why be so cruel 
as to be forever torturing one's self upon some 
such racking wheel as taciturnity ? 

"Much of your private time should bo ^p -nt in 
letting your imagination play upon your beauty, 
your talents, your superiority, all the while ignor- 
ing any fault or personal defect." Just here his 



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FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



attending Lords and Courtiers came close to His 
Majesty, saying (as tliey shook out their golden 
robes) : "O, most worthy Prince, let it suffice 
thee not to speak further; for the sayings thou 
hast already uttered are so wise and worthy, the 
people will fail to comprehend anything further!' 
So he called a retinue to escort him to his throne, 
all of whom cried lustily and mightily to his 
praise, and a well cheer for what he had said. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



65 



CHAPTER FOUR, 

■» 

So time passed on, and it was night again, and 
as the Majesty, whom Satan regarded as his vis- 
itor, looked abroad over the nations of the earth, 
he saw millions and millions more, all wrapped 
in midnight slumbers. Then did he speak to the 
Spirit of Darkness as follows : 

**0, Sable Potentate, how dismal so much 
night, and what calamity that all thy subjects, from 
least to greatest, sleep, of stern necessity, away 
the one half of all their time. How gloomy 
this slumbering realm, for unexpiring day, and 
unshifting noontide pours its ceaseless glories all 
over my dominion, whilst here in thy reign, three 
thousand of the world's six thousand years have 
been night and drowsy prostration." 

After this did Admiral Misconstruction arise 
in those days and address the President of Sa- 
tan's Congress as follows: *'Mr. President, I 
read the 30th Article in the Compendium, as fol- 
lows: The wisest measure possible shall be 
adopted, at will, by the Convention in session." 
I therefore move the setting forth of the lessons 



66 



FEEEING THE CAPTIYES. 



of this occasion bo abridged, and reduced to 
writings, to be read by the clerks." Col. Love- 
Of -Change arose to a second, and the President 
announced that the chair entertained the question. 
So it went to much discussion. Those, supporting 
the measure introduced, were Dr. Formality, Dr. 
Dry, Count-Mo st-Anj^thing, Col. Wranglings, 
Capt. Never-Satisfied, and Rabbi Love-A-Show. 
Those opposing it were Pres. Straight-Forward, 
Chancellor Don't-Disturb, Lawyer Long-Head, 
Hon. Let- Well-Enough- Alone, Dr. Extempore, 
Dr. Delighted, Mr. Mother- Wit, and old man 
Hands-Off. 

Now on a vote the **Noes" had it by an over- 
whelming majority ; so things stood as they were 
and business swung round to its corner ao^ain. 

After this did the Spirit of Darkness lead forth 
another son of his kingdom, mighty in estate and 
wielding a most potent sway over his brethren, 
being much controlled by his lord and dictator 
the stately sekpent, that destroyed the glories of 
Eden by overdrawn imagination of something 
better. When he had manned the assembly, he 
proceeded to speak as follows: **My name is 
Imagination ; and the completeness of my re- 
sources is represented in the halo of colors that 
circles me above, and beneath. My resource is 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



67 



boundless ; for it is from my store come ten 
thousand times ten thousand ills — imaginary 
evils, I mean to say; for most of the race are 
to this day making of me most exorbitant de- 
mands, and I supply them all. I also furnish 
many of the comforts of life as well as more 
than half of its disquietudes. More than a bil- 
lion of people are in this way every day loaded 
from my store house; nor do I miss the immense 
draughts. I am not only a monarch and a des- 
pot, enslaving all humanity with causeless fears 
and chimerical torturings ; but I am the source 
of much satisfaction, comforting millions with 
supposed virtues they possess not. If one im- 
agines she is a belle, be she far from it, yet so 
long as she thinks she is, it is of blissful avail to 
her ; and so I work a deal of happiness, as well 
as wretchedness ; for I am ahvays at work ; and 
with everybody I gather from the lowest haunts 
of obduration, and betroth to my estate the high- 
est weal ; for, in the same moment of time, I look 
upon exasperated demons and cherubic legions. 

I am the only thing that can beat the light- 
nings on a fair race; for I dart from pole to pole 
and from comet to comet, and return before one 
finds out I am on a visit. I perform impossibili- 
ties, for I can entomb the storms of heaven in the 



68 



FREEmG THE CAPTIVES. 



excavated hull of a nit ; and cause all the armies 
of the earth to sweep up and down the hollow of 
a hair." 

So saying he took his seat amid the deafening 
roars of a world's applause. 

Satan also complimented his goodly estate as 
he thus addresses himself: 

'•To be more than mighty man, can not be less 
than mighty god : for if I sway this billion race, 
and peer above these, every gift and power they 
have evinced in my Congress of display, then I 
am diviiie. 

Now my Lord Afar, in Holy Writ, has truly 
said of men: "Ye are gods," as here I fully 
prove from day to-day. 

"Holy Writ, again I quote, that calls me god 
over all those gods my sons ; till sure my king- 
dom's vast Display is proof enough I am Divine. 

After him came forth one, by the name of Con- 
structiveness, and lay the matter in hand thus : 
"We plan and execute and so fabricate temples, 
towers; 3^ea, all things, from the pyramids of old 
Egypt to the polish of a pin ; for we take matter 
in hand, and play it to our wish; stones, metals, 
wood, gold, silver, air, water and earth. 

The art began in the crude pinning together of 
leaves, to hide the nakedness of the' first guilty 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



69 



pair and the first tool of earth was a broken stick, 
or the horn of a cow. My people live in your 
midst when at home, though to-day we sit to- 
gether in this temple, as a separate tribe, whose 
handy works belt the globe with glittering ma- 
chinery, until we do everything now-a-days by 
implements, except the caressing of our friends. 
We speak across the ocean by machinery ; we 
look to remote worlds by the instruments of our 
hand; and, by the same, bid the elements speak 
to us as to heat and cold, wind and storm. We 
adjust our toilet by machinery, and build a 
stately palace that is proudly borne by the storm 
over the mountains in the bottom of old ocean. 
Our forefathers tilled the earth with a sharp 
horn and gathered the harvest with their fingers ; 
but we tear the tough glebe by means of a riding 
gig, and gather our grain in magnificent harvest 
coach. We ride in highest air, tunnel deepest 
earth, or wade oceans, and all in safety and ease. 
In the near future, we will speak of other won- 
ders yet unknown." And it came to pass, after 
the people adjourned to their tents, it was night ; 
and whilst they slept, the "Prince of this world," 
being host to his Supreme Guest from the skies, 
did take the wings of night to fly, one following 
the other, all over and through the kingdoms of 



70 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



earth, viewing them by the dim torch of heaven ; 
and as they flew they did converse, one with the 
other, hard on the airy way. 

God of Sin. *'See, O Ancient of Dafs, how 
my kingdom hath multipKed, since I found it good 
to leave thy courts on high from loves averse to 
thine, and build me a princedom on this spacious 
and far removed planet ; for now, as we circum- 
scribe this floating ball thou beholdest, I have 
filled hills and valleys, covered all continents, peo- 
pled all islands, made the ocean my paths of com- 
merce and crowned the hills with cities and temples, 
full of devotion to the god that ru»les them and 
casts them at the feet of ten thousa*nd shrines that 
roar with my praise. Heathens, Pagans and 
Idolaters, I have given a thousand different relig- 
ions, to suit their tastes. 

allow any religion that allows me. But I, 
and this whole world of mine, brought to such 
splendor as thou hast here seen make war on 
any faith that rivals me, a god, or calls me not 
divine. A million faiths I have on earth to-day, 
and only One revolts my reign ; for in Eden of 
old, I met the same and forced my throne against 
its will. 

'*My sons. Intellect, Avarice, Luck, Construct- 
iveness and Ambition, span my every continent 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



71 



from shore to shore, with the golden arch of my 
harvest store ; till whole nations glitter with the 
flaming belt of wealth, wherewith 1 circle the 
globe, the center of my successful rule for these 
six thousand years, incipient time. *Love of 
money,' which I put in every heart, rules the 
whole ; nor rivals me by aught of loves, as a ner- 
vous God so oft complains in Holy Writ.'' 

Now it came to pass, as the god of night and 
the God of Day did fly together over all the earth 
till late of night, passing through his most re- 
splendent kingdoms of all, they descend from their 
lofty poise, to alight upon the top of an exceed- 
ing high mountain from which they see from ocean 
to ocean, at one convenient look. And here the two 
gods sat on twin mountains, viewing the cities of 
half of the earth, seen to most royal advantage by 
each inspecting eye. **What Superlative Glories 
engage my sense as here I sit," said Am- 
bitious Satan to himself, as a midnight moon sud- 
denly rose to pour all the glories of another world 
in ocean vastness on this, aflame with all the 
gaudy flash of man's improving hand. Said he 
more, *' By Holy Writ I am its god\ and god I 
am; divinely god and god divine. By all the 
Heavens that swing around this central world of 
mine, making me supremely vast, I make a dash for 



72 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Sovereign Sway ; and call this God from far to 
WORSHIP me." Whereupon, Satan tempted God, 
on neighboring mount, to sit at his feet for one 
swift hour and call him Euling Lord. 

Then did Jehovah, God of All, thus address 
Lucifer, inflamed of infinite lust to rule : 

*'0 Eaving Pride, thy fall has come, from the 
lofty summit of unmeasured boast to the lowest 
grave of dark defeat. Late in afternoon of one 
hory eternity, with idle breath as though I scarcely 
knew I had purposed aught to do, I, thy Creator, 
spake thee into existence. A brief stay in heav- 
en's resplendent day plucked thy seat vacant for- 
ever, whilst glory on high spewed thee out upon 
the earth. Naught felt thy going and naught 
felt thy coming, save the awful blight of lies with 
which thy hand was foul indeed. Thou wast in 
in heaven by only a breath of mine ; and my un- 
exerted will dashed thee hence, tumbling down 
with all thy dirt and filth till in the pool of slum 
I let thee rest. Now, here I met thee on the 
dunghill of all creation, calling, till hoarseness 
seized thy swollen neck, calling for Sovereign 
God and Creator of men and angels, to worship 
thy carcass of pride ; and wreck the universe by 
calling thee a god. Where wast thou when I chis- 
eled the heavens and painted the sky with eternal 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



73 



beauty ? Yv^here again, when I marked the circuit 
of ten thousand worlds and swung them one above 
another to vibrate in eternal play around my 
throne ? 

* 'Didst thou make any one of the Angels ? — Even 
Man was fully made when thy sauntering gaze be- 
seiged him as a target fit for stupid lies ; for thy 
trembling step never yet pressed its way on thy 
forbidden march, only by my Sovereign consent. 
This world I made ; this race of men ; this air, 
moon, sun, time and even thee ; so where is thy 
divinity? Can Infinite God cease to be, and a 
sorry devil, cursed in wrangling hell, take His 
place? It ill becometh thee to speak of man, and 
the spread of his countless tents around the globe , 
as proof thou art divine ; for both are mine, 
thou and he, and all, allegiance owe tome. 

'*Tliis darkened world, left without a perfect 
sense, so puffed as thy estate, when scanned of 
eyes that see in light, is misery's realm and 
shame's abode, the only world mid countless mil- 
lions where glory is incomplete. It is thy stay 
THAT has RUINED ALL and makes the earth a 
putrid mass of honors lost ; cursed by stay of 
bankrupt souls in fearful league with thee.'* 



74 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER FIVE. 



Now, it came to pass after this, that the two gods 
did rise to leave the spot where the awful night 
was mostly spent ; and leaving, they together rose 
for many miles straight up in the air, till forty 
miles above the earth, they part east and west, 
around the world to meet at Congress Hall. Be- 
hold, it came to pass, as Satan flew, being weary 
with defeat, and chafed with eternal truth he 
never could meet, he sleepy grew and fell again 
to the earth for rest. Lighting in a pleasant clime, 
he raised the winds and fanned the hills around, 
till the hollow between was filled with sweetly 
scented leaves ; even to the covering clear, over 
the tops of trees in the deep valley, that lay mid 
the mountains of the forest clad earth. There, 
this wearied god stretched himself for mighty rest 
and dreams that bring again his palmy days ; with 
brighter crowns on future wars. There he slept 
whilst moon and stars coronating sky with diadem 
of light and shades alternate blent an halo of far 
off splendors, touching the earth with the shadows 
of their inapproachable grandeur. He dreamed 



FREEINa THE CAPTIVES. 



75 



of conquest and victory ; till all former defeat was 
out of sense and sight ; and nothing but the rise 
and roll of everlasting dominion stood before him. 
He saw thousands of gods, falling prostrate at his 
feet; whilst crowns of honor came rattling down 
from the skies falling in upon him from worlds of 
immeasurable distance apart and from this, the 
seat of his uprising power. 

O, the wealth of his dreams; for myriads of 
worlds could not buy the half of what he saw 
and what he felt ! 

But he turns in his bed , braced of lofty trees 
and lined with mountain foliage, and as he turns he 
smashed a thousand huge oaks, cased in the unpro- 
tecting leaves knit about them, and with this 
tremendous crash he grew half wakeful or more. 
Whilst thus on a balance, between sleep and awake, 
he dreamed he heard a call from Congress Hall, 
and fancied, in his dream, he saw Jehovah there 
in the midst of all, with seeming sway that hurts 
Beelzebub, because of vacant seat whilst all his 
countless lords and dukes watched his long deferr- 
ed return . Hark ! He hears them call ; and call 
again, till flashing into life anew, he springs aloft, 
and shot himself a thousand miles above the earth, 
before he fully knew his real estate. But call it 
was, and haste he did, to meet his waiting court 
and rival God. 



76 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Full charged, with rest and hope all restored, 
he went as a wlioozing wind in haste to his tem- 
ple throne, like a fire streaming across the heav- 
ens. Then he struck the earth, tossing a thunder- 
storm he met, at his approach, far above his head, 
in his fearful haste to the seat of his p::lory. On 
he bounds, till his close proximity to the earth 
splits open wide a lofty mountain, whilst the suck, 
created by his incredible speed, caused the ocean 
to arise and flow on after him, like the wild rush 
of Noah's flood, dashing, unrestrained, from hill 
to valley over-charged beneath. In his awful 
speed, pressing low on the wing, he sank a vast 
island, as he brake upon its mountain environ- 
ments with surging waves. Eising from the ocean 
plain, he smote the ramparts of the town, called 
Soul-Kest, the capitol of Little Nation Sanctified ; 
whilst with his right wing he swept its temple and 
towers far down into the valley of Edens-Ease, 
that nurtured the town, and kept it fat and full of 
every meat that feeds sacred man and grows im- 
mortal life into measures full of grace divine. 
So, by and by, he struck the temple where his 
Congress sat, quivering the earth with the tread 
of storm, whilst clouds of dismal darkness filled 
the earth with lowering night, in one brief hour 
after fairest sun that ever rose. 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



77 



Whilst thus he wrapped the earth in horrid shades 
of noon-day night, to eclipse Jehovah's smile of 
day, all at once he loomed a light over all that host 
of trembling fears, till sudden day beseized it all, 
with Satan firm upon his throne,the potentate and 
chief of all he saw. He breathed on them a 
soothing sense of troubles gone ; and a laughing 
gas of pleasures come, till on the play of courts 
did dash its coming roundelays of royal mirth 
and joy. 

I saw in the next place one Avith a keen eye and 
bracing countenance advance forward, as the 
crowds cheered and called for "Old Col. Wit." 
He sat still for many days, till he could get a fair 
sweep at the occasion. Now, on a day after much 
ado, when he found the reigns of the occasion a 
little slackened, he mounted the rostrum, and, 
gracefully swinging around to a pause, he proceed- 
ed to speak as follows : 

"Gentlemen and Ladies: — I and my fellow- 
kinsmen. Fun, Punch, Clown, Laugh-and-Grow- 
Fat, Jack-Juvenal, Jim- Jumper, Susan Tickle, 
Jemimah-Mirthful. Gillottie-Jolly and Abigail- 
Joyous are certainly here, / being servant of all. 
We came up to this feast of nations for our just 
equal division of luncheon and lively meats. We 
never are grave, even when going to a grave, or at 



78 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



prayer, for if we laugh through sickness we would 
not be filled with sucli immediate folly, as not to 
be rapturous when breathing the laughing gas, 
gendered in the exhibition of a thousand mon- 
strous oddities, as set advance in this big play. In 
receiving this feast, we have, at times, used chop- 
sticks, as when running the narrow pass of some 
solemn question ; for only fools always fun ; but 
at other times, when mirth was graceful, we have 
poured it down the gullet, as if to satisfy seven 
headlong hungers. Ticklish, as we naturally are, 
we, in many instances, have maintained our equi- 
poise most gracefully ; at other times, however, 
we have been unceremoniously dashed from the 
pinacle of majestic sedateness, hurled along 
through a series of irresistible summersaults, and 
finally spread as thin as batter by the immoderate 
strokes of an old fool, who said his name was Al- 
ways-Mad. Sometimes as quiet as a tornado ; at 
other times regaled wdth the profound composure 
of a thousand circumvolutions in a moment of 
time . ' ' ( Here old man Laugh-and-Grow-Fat was 
overcome by the strength of his weakness, and 
quivered a laugh that was a rouser for contagious 
fun; while Jack-Juvenal gracefully joined hands 
with Abigail- Joyous, and Jim- Jumper with Susan 
Tickle; others swinging into the mirthful halo, 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



79 



all reeling rounds of potent joy, till the lively 
courts were entertained by the irresistible laughs 
of intoxicated mirth.) 

Then did Satan rejoice at the sport of his sub- 
jects, and speak of dry and drowsy gods that nev- 
er laugh. Now, King Politeness passed through 
and around, introducing his people, passing com- 
pliments, bowing and smiling until notoriety 
was awarded him as a medal ; some doubting, 
however, as to where true bred stops and hnpu- 
dence sets in. 

It came to pass at the close of the day. His 
Majesty from afar said to Satan: *'This day 
have I heard thy music, seen thy dancers,, witness- 
ed feuds and broils, and beheld the levity of wits, 
and the vanities of King Politeness ; and, furth- 
ermore, I have beheld the eaters and the drinkers, 
and those who chase pleasure all the day long, and 
lo ! all is vanity of vanities. 

god of FOLLY, thou hast a kingdom of 
dross, a kingdom of chaff that is longing for the 
fire. Wherefore, dost thou sing with the singers, 
dance with the dancers, play with the players, de- 
bate with the debaters, eat with the eaters, drink 
with the drinkers, smile with the smilers ; for this 
day thou hast walked unseemingly before thy 
God, and carried with thee millions of souls, this 



80 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



night, to pitch their tents nigher hell than ever 
before. Instead of playing infernal machinations 
that reap the earth a harvest for woe, why not 
beguile thyself in clever aims, and night by night, 
camp Adam's race in tents that face the skies 
all ao^low with the evenino; fires of the far off 
home? I am God and know the end of sin, which 
mine to punish only I can know. Far down the 
ages, I see the fall of thee and thine, even such as 
laugh and dance to-day. Thy Congress sits in 
firm conceit on the sinking arch that crowns the 
bottomless pit. There must thy kingdom sink 
and bewail thee in thundering^ darkness forever. 
O, thou bellowing god, whose praise is only the 
harsher notes of roaring shame ! Beyond all 
worlds that are seen of eyes, there is a chaos 
waste, over which black and dismal skies have 
shed portentous night, so densely deep no sun 
will ever dispel its cheerless shade. On all 
that space so unconfined is great disease and sick- 
ening death,with every fear that I could name, and 
awful weights no tongue describes ; all stirred in 
seething darkness, where countless worlds are 
made to grind in the slush of infinite night. 

*'0 god of sin, there is thy home ; for the earth 
on which thou sittest to-day is for the heavenlj^ 
saints, when burnished by Him that first made it. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



81 



and then allowed the waste of thy devouring stay 
through all this roll of ages past. And now I 
call on thee to show, in truest sense, thy real 
SELF, since god thou hast failed to be. Bring- 
forth, I charge thee, now thy sons, dukes or gods 
that reflect thy kingdom in all its actual parts and 
powers. 

''Hitherto, thy play is vanity ; but now I swear 
thee to fulfill thy pledge to me, as first we met, 
when thine it was, in vaunting pride, to bid me halt 
and view thy famed estate. Be honest, god, for 
thou hast sons of shame not seen as yet, whom 
now I call, till come they must !" 

Then said Satan to himself: '*My game is 
hard, for the god that presses me is old and wise 
and stubborn full enough to have his way. What 
shall I do? I know the end is mino, but how to 
turn this stubborn point on my road to higher 
rights than ever enjoyed by me before, though 
long worthy of the same, makes now a moment 
void of play and full of burning care. Ye gods, 
bring me drink, nectar strong bring tome; and 
nectar long let me drink, till I, cunning, rise above 
this shabby halt I make, for want of wits so oft 
displayed by me in other days. Ah ! now I feel 
the trouble gone. Only this, let a god be himself , 
and boast it all supremely good ; and so I will, 



82 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



and if Jehovah boasts on his, I (his son of old) 
will boast on mine, nor call any of it *shame,' as 
by taunt of his he gives it name. So let them 
come ; I swear I will and make them speak with 
bounding zest, for all they are, I truly love in 
them, as I find the same in me. 

*'And if Jehovah is not pleased with my sons, 
I swear by truth, I am not pleased with his ; so 
god, for 'god, the matter stands. Each lord has 
his rule of right, and so may I set up my law, as 
sure I will, displease or please who it may. If, 
by my ride, my sons love gold, and god doth hate 
that love of old, as 'Holy Writ' so boldly says, 
each is right, judged by his rule, and rulei'i right, 
for gods do as they please . So a'U my sons shall 
speak, for they love what I love ; hate w^hat I 
hate ; do what I do ; say what I say, and if Je- 
hovah calls it vile, or seems displeased with what 
they say, it matters naught, seeing gods have dif- 
ferent ways of being wise. So let them come 
and speak, for I am resolved my kingdom shall 
have its own loves ; its own hates ; its own laws 
that cringe to no god, but look to me supreme in 
all I am." 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



83 



CHAPTER SIX. 



Then did monarch Soul-Death intercede the oc- 
casion with certain remarks : "It doth behoove 
me to open the gates, and let you fully into mat- 
ters oft discussed by mighty minds, throwing 
light upon these dark paths, in which men are 
forced to walk at times. The matter is this : My 
name is Soul-Deatii, and am monarch of all, for 
all provinces are but offsprings, and tribute bear- 
ing tribes to me and my world-encircling domain. 
Now, I have almost unlimited control of the dy- 
nasty, called judgment, and it hath absolute sway 
over all that lordly realm called Conscience ; so 
you see at once all these powers are provinces of 
my dominion, contributing to my support, and do 
worship at my shrine. There is a small, inconsid- 
erable tribe here by the name of Little Nation 
Sanctified, whom I only hold by the ^ flesh,' hav- 
ing no more a stay in their hearts ; but with that 
exception, I shed forth my power as the sun doth 
his light. 

"This world hath a god, whose sons we are, 
having his 'Spirit working in us.' Other gods 



84 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



call US *the Children of Disobedience,' jealous of 
our mighty world and its great ruler called * Prince 
of the Power of the Air.' Such as hate our god 
call him 'aEoaringLion,' and charge his children 
as being rotten in the heart, as *gravesfull of all 
manner of corruption.' All this pious wail comes 
from a book, over in Little Nation Sanctified, 
called 'Holy Writ;' and yet, strange to say, de- 
spite this raving ado over the 'children of this 
world,' they have done well, rolling in the fat of 
the land, and came frolicing on down the ages 
past, never dreaming of any such shame charged 
on them by the prophets and seers over in Little 
Nation Sanctified. 

**Yea, we have done well, despite this ceaseless 
ado of a Foreign God, who once owned us all, but 
lost his estate here, to see our father Beelzebub 
take it on to vast renown, and crown it wholly his 
and ours." 

Then did the nations roar applause, and went to 
the lawns to drink wine. And I looked and be- 
held all the ''kingdoms of this world" did this 
time coalesce and flow out together on the plains, 
and Monarch Soul-death was upon his throne in 
the midst of them, and bid them drink of his wine, 
of which all kingdoms and tribes took, except 
Little Nation Sanctified, which stood back and 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



85 



used not of his wine, neither bowed the knee, nor 
walked on his lawns. 

The Spirit of Darkness also brooded over all 
the scene, and applauded the triumph of his ex- 
hibition, saying : 

''Where is there a god like to me, for this day 
I have flashed heaven and earth with the splendid 
independence of my peerless hosts, and still they 
are to come with pomp that abashes feebler gods 
to behold." 

As they came in from this reverie of praise to 
Monarch-Soul-Death, whose name is also Deprav- 
ity, he crowned his throne, and spoke to his 
millions as follows : 

"I am the progenitor of these mighty tribes, 
and ye are all my legitimate sons and daughters, 
my natural descendants, and well accepted pos- 
terity ; for they have marched forth from me by 
legions, and possessed the land. Whilst I live, 
they shall live also. I am the prolific parent of 
these who wear upon them the mark of my royal- 
ty, for it is I, even I, who belched the black 
floods that chased holiness from the earth (this 
first kingdom of time); yea, drove her to the 
hill-tops, and forced her to pinions of flight; for I 
and Bkick Wings are in conjugal felicity, control- 
ing the affairs of this whole world. My throne is 



86 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



in the HEART of each citizen, having first cast 
down its primeval love, and closed those windows 
through which it formerly looked to a god on high, 
delivering it from excessive light, and causing it 
to walk in paths well-pleasing to darkened sense, 
thus governing the human family not by force 
without, but by disposition within." 

Having closed his oration, all the kingdoms 
waved a signal of honor, smiting their breasts for 
a token of reverence to their paternal potentate. 

Then did Satan discourse with himself and say : 
'*This is the first-born of all my great progeny; 
a son of my own heart, and an occupant with me 
of the throne of my far-reaching empire. Even 
King Intellect, Lord Wisdom and King Con- 
science are all subordinate to the lordly reign of 
Monarch Depravity, whom I appointed general-in- 
chief to manage all things belonging to my king- 
dom on this earth, knowing his unmistakable 
qualification to do all to my utmost satisfac- 
tion." 

Then it came to pass m those days, Jehovah 
addressed Satan as follows : -'O God of Death, 
the whole of thy kingdom is seen when Soul- 
Death is on thy throne, and thou art sitting by 
his side. Thou art the Father of Monarch Soul 
Death and Soul Death is the father of thirteen 



IKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



87 



notorious sons, whose names are: (Mark 7r21) 
Evil-Thought, Adultery, Fornication, Murder, 
Thefc, Covetousness, Wickedness, Deceit, Las- 
civiousness. Evil-eye, Blasphemy, Pride, Foolish- 
ness; all of whom are lusty sons of Soul-Death, 
thy boasted First-Born, who six thousand years 
ago went forth to people the earth. Falling fires, 
opening graves, a roaring flood, with pestilence 
and famine, have all stood before thy sons of 
shame, to correct their ways of evil ; but all in 
vain ; for thundering hell alone will break the 
charm of their devotion to thee. And yet thy 
boast is not withdrawn ; nor aught of shame is 
found to tinge thy cheek, hard with cursed sins 
that mount thy brow. Being blind, they see no 
fate ; but with thine eyes their awful state to thee 
is fully known. In thy rule, all is sin and rank- 
est hates to me ; as death is known to gender but 
most offensive fumes and foulest brood of living 
things." 

Then did Satan call for mirth and joy again be- 
cause of heavy heart within. So Music plays his 
favorite airs and sang of national triumphs ; as a 
tribe called Muscular came forth and danced reels 
of gladness, to the consummate delight of Kings, 
Emperors, Sovereigns, Czars, Despots, Monarchs, 
Rulers, Lords, Princes, Dukes, Marquises, Vis- 



88 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



counts, Barons, Knights, Chancellors and all their 
dominions. 

Following this burst of applause there was a sor- 
rowful scene, when three men, Feae, Suspense, 
AND Dread, clinging close to one another, stood 
forth, having one, Orator, to speak for them, as their 
voices quivered and their minds were too much 
absorbed for public address. Orator spoke for 
them as follows : * 'These three men are the repre- 
sentation of thousands, the world over, who are 
racked with causeless fears, and subdued with 
needless alarm. To-daj^ they are belabored to a 
tortuous extent with this kind of fear. They say 
the earth is round, and all its hills and rocks are 
gradually dissolving to wash down to a common 
level. Studying this matter over, they say the 
earth will eventually become level, and in that 
event the Ocean will at once roll across the plains 
and cover all the lands ; and in this way, destroy 
the race of mankind. Now, so strong is their 
faith in this kind of reasoning, I find many on 
stilts, and others living in dry land boats to meet 
the logical conclusion of their premises." 

So saying, the three men hastened back to their 
ark of safety ; and as the multitudes looked in that 
quarter they saw others propping up the worlds 
with stayed column to keep them from falling. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



89 



Then did Satan call to him one by the name of 
Ambition, a very favorite child of his, and said: 

*'Son, tell me thy estate, for I am fully bent 
to hear thee talk, whilst I wearied with the war of 
life, rest by the way for a moment." 

So Ambition fully spake his mind and heart in 
the hearing of his Father, Beelzebub. Said he : 
*'We must have it ; rule or ruin — have it we must, 
for better to ruin than to be ruled ; yes, let it 
come at any sacrifice ; we will not fail of our cher- 
ished projects. We were all born for a scepter, 
and we scorn not to be known and felt. The 
waste of empires is to us a felicitous work when 
it brings the golden sheaves of the harvest of 
honor. 

'''Notoriety is the ideal with us, and ^m&^7^o?^ is 
the most savoring plant that grows in the garden 
of the gods. What are squandered treasures, 
mountains of bones, rivers of blood, if the na- 
tions, when we are dead and gone, but trump it to 
our fame. If roaring hell was to go thundering 
by us, we all impassioned for conquest, could not 
stay our hand from grasping a scepter, a scepter^ 
a SCEPTER." So saying, he rushed from the ros- 
trum as in the ire of battle and looked the maniac 
of surprise to behold around him millions content 
to die in obscurity. 



90 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Seeing the rapacious greed of this satanic imp, 
Lucifer did bray a greedy laugh, and felt himself 
very much refreshed indeed. But a sudden loss 
of power was felt of Satan-god, and a trembling 
hand could no longer rule the un wielding presence 
of some mysterious might. For the son he call- 
ed to speak would not come, whilst came one whom 
Satan never did intend should speak, knowing of 
his woefal store. He strove in vain to catch de- 
parting times and tides, and puzzled all his wisdom 
vast, to know the solemn w^hy of all this absolving 
force. And so it was, whilst Satan called a much 
loved son named Hope to arouse his languid Kfe, 
in spite of all he could perform, another sou of 
his, withheld for shame (for Ruin is his name), 
caught and held the sway till its awful dirge was 
sung aloud, as every soul did feel its blighting 
power. Satan tried in vain to luinh him back, 
and keep all things that shamed his rule on earth 
full out of sight ; but Jehovah pressed the for- 
mer OATH of Satan-god *'to show in full, things 
bad and good;" and thus obtained, against pre- 
tending pomp, sweeping floods of verdict truth, 
that robbed him clear of any future gain. 

Now, as one looked over the land of Ruin, be- 
hold it was full of bones, graves, crumbling tow- 
ers, fallen temples and buried cities ; its forests 



FREEINa THE CAPTIVES. 



91 



hewn down; its gardens mutilated; its rivers 
filled with stagnation; its valleys a wilderness; 
its roads and highways gulched, depopulated, 
having only moles, bats, midnight owls and 
the howl of destruction. Yea, I saw that de- 
struction's broad wake did stream along the 
. highway of ages, rising from Eden and the 
beginning of time, and covering even unto the 
terminus of empire march ; for mighty king- 
doms had been hurried, and the bones of men, 
literally covered the earth with fallen nations. 
But conceive, will you, the consternation aoid dis- 
may that seized all minds and hearts, when sud- 
denly there came forth one on the stage, clad 
from head to foot in grave cloths, as he sat up- 
on his coffin, the monarch of monarchs. Said he : 
am Death, and all ye are mine, for I chain 
conquerors, and kings listen to my decrees. I 
make a harvest of nations, and deposit it in my 
coffers, the best jewels of earth. I am relentless, 
and drag down the fair and the foul alike to the 
tomb; for I am never full, though I have con- 
sumed men and kingdoms of men for thousands 
of years ; yet, to-day, I am insatiate in my hun- 
ger, and unslaked in my thirst. I have lost but 
two captives since time began, and they, in clouds 
and chariots, drove up the steps of the sky, till 



92 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



quite out of the reach of my dominion. I hold 
the dust of all empires and kingdoms as a trophy 
of renown, fori mark a child mine the day of its 
birth, and send a thrill of terror through hearts 
that quake at nothing else. 

* 'These nations assembled here to-day, are toys 
of my sports ; and soon I will devour you all 
with the rapacity of insatiable greed." 

So saying, he opened the gate of his tomb and 
entering it, he pulled to the door wdth a vengeance 
that made things quake as though the end had 
come. No sooner done than he next shook the 
Temple till it trembled like a leaf; and there was 
a voice saying : "My dominion is just beneath 
the surface of the earth ; look there will you and 
see my charnel house, as capacious as all earth, is 
completely full." Now all the multitudes, so oft 
thundering with applause heretofore, were just 
here ghastly pale and durst not speak; nor did 
this awtul suspense let up, till, lo ! a whole nation 
of musicians began to play in concert of action 
and that upon every instrument known under 
heaven, and a million voices did swell a chorus 
till the Temple was again merry as a nuptial 
festivity. They did beat their drums, they blowed 
their pipes, and with dexterous hand engaged all 
the arts of the music w^orld ; taking abreast the 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



93 



whole score of staffs, with orchestral chime and 
twirl, till fullest ecstacy regaled the moving 
mass. But these spells of excited and forced 
amusement grew shorter and shorter. So now 
many Black Wings were seen flying through 
the Temple, hissing their wings through all its 
chambers; flying high, flying low; tipping their 
wings with each other, and so did they fly down 
close to the heads of the people aghast with 
mighty fears. Now as they vanished out of sight, 
there was a voice saying: "This sable retinue 
belongs to the god of this w^orld, going as they do 
all over the earth, causing men to do much evil. 

These Black Wings come nigh when the un- 
godly die in sin, and often sit upon the corpse 
before the grave is dug, and on the grave roosting 
all through black and dreary night. When a sin- 
ful soul is driven out of the body, the same 
Black Wings seize it at once ; and go hissing and 
screaming like meanest night-hawks, as they 
plunge down, doAvn, down ; dashing from side to 
side of the clifty deep through which they fall 
from many long and weary days ; till they reach 
the awful fumes of scented night.'' 

Now following all this, the God of Glory speaks 
to crest fallen Satan as follows: *'0 Wearied 
Wanderer, roaming through time and gloomy 



94 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES, 



space, for ages ; till thou didst one day alight by 
Adam's Eden, and espy the lofty liberties of a 
race just begun ; when wilt thou cease to defy 
Infinite Royalty? Let an eternal blush be thy 
crown unsought, in lieu of one thou shouldst have 
caught. 

"Thy kingdom vast but heeps thy shame and 
will the more disown thy name, when victor 
truth and royal right shall rob thee of thy every 
might. 

*'0, Treason God, let thy courage droop and 
cast thy plume, for wailing night is sure to come ; 
so leave thy lofty pride and vanish from view. 

*'But tarry now, I will show thee My Kingdom 
and the power with which it will cast thee down, 
bewildering thee with endless defeat ; for, these 
nations to thee owe no allegiance ; but to me they 
do, ransomed by ancient council held on high ere 
yet thou wast; or aught had been. Thou art a 
Usurper, deceiving the nations and deceiving 
thyself ; for Little Nation Sanctified, despised in 
all thy showings here^ is yet to crush thee out, and 
become in the end the dearest companion of Him 
who is the maker of all worlds. 

**But if these savory words thou wilt despise, 
and canst not cease thy rage for power, go abroad, 
as I also go abroad, and strengthen thy hands ; 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



95 



for a shock, by and by, and thou shalt go down 
to the pit, a god imprisoned forever ! 

*'From this time forward I will move rapidly 
against thee, and will multiply the staff of my 
strength abroad in the land, for my kingdom is 
composed of such as I take from thee, and qual- 
ify them for the choicest courts in the realms of 
glory." 



96 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER SEVEN. 

Satan goes abroad to discover the secret of 
Power, that is yet to exalt Little Nation Sanc- 
tified. He finds it not in Wealth ; for on trav- 
ersing their lines at home, he sees they are gener- 
ally ^oor ; whilst the very doctrines they live, and 
for which they die, are averse to loving gold and 
getting gain. So, his kingdom being rich and 
Little Nation Sanctified poor, in this world, en- 
courages him greatly to believe the prophecy, of 
his fall by and by, is all false, enough to please 
his wish. Then again he searches for wisdom 
and lofty knowledge, and finds it is not of lavish 
growth in Little Nation Sanctified, by no means 
half so much so as in Great Nation Depravity. 
This also comforts Satan to believe Nation Sanc- 
tified will fail to effect his great Dominion. Then 
he counts numbers, and lo, he has a thousand to 
her one, and shouts for joy at the flaming discov- 
ery. So, *'What is in Little Nation Sanctified 
that should alarm my fears ?' ' said buoyant Satan 
making ready for mighty conquests through the 
coming years. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



97 



Furthermore, he soon discovers Little Nation 
Sanctified is opposed to war and shedding of 
blood, and in that he greatly rejoiced, saying : 
"Here again I will beat them back, and, if made 
to press my utmost force, will e'er I half exert 
myself at best feed their falling flesh to hungry 
and empty dogs . ' ' 

In all this search to know her power, Beelze- 
bub found NOTHING to her avail ; and came shout- 
ing back to Congress Hall, (after watchful days 
had thus been spent ) to cheer his flaming hosts ; 
and rally war for time to come. 

Said he: "Cheer up ye gods, and sons of gods, 
partners of mine, in this big round world, and all 
it boasts. Come to the front and let us repel ^ 
heaven's rash invasion led on by one Soul-Life, 
and Little Nation Sanctified, with hope of full suc- 
cess by and by. 'Tis only lively sport for me and 
thee, though "z(7ar," as it is called, to conquer, 
well ; and bury all this rival crew that force me 
from my long nursed home, to make it theirs, and 
seal my doom. In all that eyes can see, of wealth 
and skill; of wars, and size; as well as heard, both 
large and wise, we vastly peer ; till, seen as seen 
by me of late, one cannot doubt their coming 
fate ; nor stop to scan so small a thing as Victory 
sure for me to win. 



98 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



"So start afresh to-morrow morn, whilst God- 
Afar parades for days to come his puny few in 
shortened lines and scanty files of Little Nation 
Sanctified." 

So saying the whole earth thundered his praises 
and filled the air with flying dust, to know of 
facts so mighty full of courage to their waiting 
hearts. Now, it came to pass that one Good- 
Cheer spake to the People in Congress Hall. 
Said he: **This world once hung close to heav- 
en's door so God and man visited each other, 
morning and evening. Heaven then opened its 
gatesof fullest store, and poured its glories upon 
the Eden of man, till that day in which this god 
^ of Darkness, espying man's supernal estate with 
jealous eyes, strange to say, by man's consent, 
put space and mischief between man and his 
Maker. So man was made to change his habi- 
tation ; for a mighty lie at first mislocated his 
Soul, so he strayed more and more, for Treason- 
god, in his rage for territory of his own, put his 
*'main might" against the human race, and swung 
it far away from Eden, stoving it off into this 
dark corner, where it has sniffed the black winds 
of adversity for lo, these six thousand years ! 

''So our race was stolen from Eden when in its 
infancy and carried far, far away, and through 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



99 



long ages of time made to multiply exceedingly 
in this remote wilderness of sin and misery. 

"Man is morally crazed ; with, however, occasion- 
al spells of seeming sanity ; and the strangest of all, 
he is made to love his destroyer, that captured him 
to this bondage, even more than anyone; and to 
prefer his sore miseries to better things. 

"O my countrymen, hear me in my w^ell-favored 
call to your souls, and hearken unto me ye sons of 
death, who serve a dying god, whilst life is made 
to call in vain. 

"The God of heaven has seen this stolen race in 
all its far reaching march from Eden lost : sent 
his Son in eager chase to overtake erring man, 
and bring us back to an Eden much improved. 

"Now, whilst you sit here in the lap of this sore 
degradation, listen to the pleasing story, setting 
forth the basis and the plan of our recapture ; and 
whilst you listen, behold your chains will fall off; 
your right reason will return ; and your souls will 
long to abandon these miserable haunts, to gain 
a far better citizenship, where the poorest things 
are better far than the best things here. This 
territory is ^redeemed ;' though now in the 
Enemies' hands; yet, nevertheless, the true 
Owner has made us a visit- and through Death, 
whilst here he enters this cell of darkness where 



100 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES, 



we lay, filling his title right to us all; so begin- 
ning, right under the eyes of the great Adversa- 
ry, his great work of reconstruction. This pall 
of darkness he will roll back, and thus expose to 
Mercy's gaze, countless millions, long chained in 
these walls that force our stay. The whole plan 
is so great it outstrips our present comprehen- 
sion ; for the soul of the matter is in a great Un- 
seen Spirit, always present to brood over (no 
mind can tell how) this Chaos of night, till he 
shall cause it to transform us all into heavenly 
shapes. 

*'So cheer up ye denisons,and fight manfully for 
your freedom. Our head is Prince Soul-Life, 
who is the 'friend of sinners,' calling to all 
men, saying, "I am the Way, the Truth and the 
Life," (John 14 : 6) saying also 'come unto me, 
all ye that laboi* and are heavily laden and I will 
give you rest.' (Matt. 11:28,29.) 

"These things, however, are a stumbling block 
to Jews, and foolishness to the wise Greeks (1 
Cor. 1 :23), because thy belong to Great Nation 
Depravity, and are under the control and tutor- 
ship of Monarch-Soul-Death, to whom the 
preachmg of the gospel is 'foolishness,' not- 
withstanding it is '])y the foolishness of preach- 
ing God saves all such as believe.' (1 Cor.l :21.) 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



101 



"So hasten to forsake all that belongeth to 
Great Nation Depravity, and with stiff wills and 
stout hearts rebel against Monar ch- Soul- Death : 
for if ye will so do, ye shall have peace that flows 
as a river." 

Having thus spoken, Good Tidings took his 
seat, all of his brethren praying for Unseen 
Hand to apply the truth just uttered, to many 
hearts and produce thereby eternal good. 

Now Satan did look with low scorn upon Little 
Nation Sanctified, who, it was said, would yet de- 
stroy his kingdom with successful rivalship ; and 
stood at the door of every man's heart Avhilst 
Good Tidings was preacliing the Gospel, and with 
horrid fire hooks pulled the truth out of their 
souls as fast as Good Tidings put it in ; whilst 
with his other hand, all clothed in velvet, he pre- 
sented to his subjects his gospel of cunning fa- 
bles, which many receive at the earnest solicita- 
tion of Monarch-Soul-Death, that at the same 
time sat upon the throne with Satan and mightily 
helped in the ministration of his affairs. 

But the play goes on, and Satan sat ill at ease 
to hear the sons of Little Nation Sanctified be- 
speak the Truth and Power of the God he had 
so presumptiously tempted by arraying the world 
and all the glory thereof before him. 



102 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Now it came to pass one by the name of Saint- 
Talk- Well came out of Little Nation Sanctified 
as she sat in Congress Hall and proceeded to 
speak the mighty Truth, as follows: * 'Men and 
Brethren, Hearken to me in matters pertaining 
to time and all eternity that follows time. Moral 
Day hurst ed upon man the morning of his crea- 
tion, overspreading the garden of Eden, situated 
on the confluence of four great rivers (Gen. 2: 
10-14), in the Eastern world. This Eden, 
Man's Home, was neighbor to Heaven; and a 
place where God — the Creator of all worlds, was 
accustomed to walk in the cool of the evening, 
and stop by the way, in very pleasant conversa- 
tion with Adam and Eve, the tillers of this beauty 
of creation. 

Now, early one bright morn a Fearful form 
was seen coming in the air from far, who speedily 
drew nigh and perching himself with pleasant ad- 
dress upon its finest tree, beguiled the rising day 
w^ith specimens of untiring oratory. Credulous 
Eve, nature's most perfect woman, listened to the 
song of his charming Eloquence ; ate fruit from his 
hand ; and instantly jfelt the shock of an awful j)ain 
spreading in all* of the regions of the heart ; 
whilst her noble form lay of nervous trembling on 
the soft grass, matted with flowers honeyed with 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



103 



the night kisses of heaven. They had swal- 
lowed a LIE from Satan and it stuck in the soul 
till horribly deformed, all Eden was reduced to 
a thorn thicket and the whole earth marked out 
for the track of future storms ; so physical 
nature might fall to the low level where sin 
had put Adam and Eve, the former hosts who 
once entertained the God of heaven in the cool 
of each expiring day. Alas ! For the whole affair. 
And Satan is the cursed author of it all. He 
fell from heaven, and went tumbling from world 
to world, till he struck this earth, and, on his way 
to hell, stopped to sow a harvest of lies that should 
grow rank for many thousand years, and gathered 
in its fold at last countless millions, to accompany 
him on his way to sin's dark region. Sweeping 
on hither, he goes to-day with you all ; a billion 
men and women wrestling with the sports of life, 
on the thin crust of time, that spans the bound- 
less chasm of night yawning beneath. 

Each day tens of thousands break through and 
drop in upon sweeping floods of darkness that 
bear them on and down forever. O how far 
from Eden we have gone ; for time has been one 
dark night, and crazed fancy has led us into 
grossest idolatry ! 

All this is Satan's kingdom. But Mercy on 



104 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



High has watched it all, and Little Nation Sancti- 
fied, though a colony small, had its rise in sight 
of Eden's *'Tree of Life," where its scented 
flowers died the day of Satan's blighting touch. 

Mercy has an "Only Son," who is fully God 
and fully Man; his man-name is *'Seed of the 
Women," and was truly promised four thousand 
years before he came. Sanctified Nation had her 
birth in the promise of that far-back morn of time, 
and has been here ever since. She is in this Con- 
gress Hall to-day, having reached this acme of 
time. She alone crossed the flood, when the whole 
of Great Nation Depravity, heavy with sin, sank 
to the bottom and were drowned. Centuries later, 
shefledfrom Pagan night, and spent more than a 
thousand years in Jerusalem, appointed of God, 
where day reigned till the "Day Spring from on 
high" began to scatter light.throughout the whole 
world, peopled everywhere by children of Great 
Nation Depravity. 

Mercy's Son lived in the skies till Eve's remote 
daughter, named Mary, gave him a body that 
made him the full brother of all men. This bound 
him not only to man, but to man's woes ; and being 
thus bound he dies, not for himself, but for "his 
brethren." In that death he reached the gates 
of hell, and closed them firm, till the whole of 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



105 



Great Nation Depravity could be notified of the 
fact. He, at once, also arises from death's dark 
gate, and passing by the Earth with a short stay 
of * 'forty days," hastens to open all the ports of 
heaven, reporting the fact back to Little Nation 
Sanctified, who spreads abroad the glorious intel- 
ligence to the sons of men. His name is Prince 
Soul-Life and his words are called Gospel. The 
crying of these mysterious words over the earth 
is the work of Little Nation Sanctified to the end 
of time, with a promise from her Captain, their 
labor will win in the end. The Power, that makes 
these sin-condemning words break up Satan's 
kingdom and bring over his long abused Sub- 
jects to gain Little Nation Sanctified, is on the 
earth and to-day, though ye see him not. Hidden 
Help is His name ; and by it men are brought to 
life; and the grave of death filled with perpetual 
day. Satan is cast out ; sins are pardoned; and 
joy unearthly is made to spring up in the souls of 
men as they hear. 

And now Prince Soul-Life,who is highest king 
over Great Nation Depravity, offers to pardon 
her treason against his govc^rnmcnt ; accept them 
as his again, and ratify their citizenship in his 
Princedom and that forever. 

*'Take my yoke upon you," saith he to you 



106 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



rebels. By this he meaneth, repent, return, sub- 
mit. * 'Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly, 
and ye shall find rest to your soul !" By this he 
meaneth, notwithstanding he is Lord and Iving, 
yet he will not play the tyrant over the Rebel 
that comes back to him ; but insure for him the 
very finest treatment a king can give. 

*'0, ye dying sons of Great Nation Depravity, 
flee the doomed kingdom of doomed Satan, and 
come with your sins and death hanging about you 
to this miracle-working Prince Soul-Life, the 
'Friend of Sinners and Publicans.' 

*'At one touch of his kindly hand you stand be- 
fore him fairer than an Angel ; for he conforms 
you to Himself, the best of all. 'To-day' is 
the time set for your acceptance." 

Then I looked and beheld Satan was in a rage, 
and went from hall to hall of his great Aud- 
itorium, calling Council after Council of his 
noble sons and lords in highest rank, to devise 
a way to stir up "lewd fellows of the baser sort," 
sons of Great Nation Depravity, so as to set his 
whole kingdom fully against Little Nation Sanc- 
tified. Some he would incite in the name of 
country^ and patriotism, urging Prince Soul-life 
and Little Nation Sanctified were at war with his 
son "Caesar, "and all the laws and authority of men. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



107 



Vast numbers lie got to feeding on thoughts of 
this sort, so as to break the influence of speeches 
made by Good-Tidings, and Saint Speak-Well. 

Other members of Great Nation Depravity 
soon discovered the doctrines of Saint Speak- 
Well were at war with all of the thousand and 
one rehgions, so popular in the temples and high 
precincts of Nation Depravity the world over. 
In so doing they talked up a ready and enlarged 
resentment against the speeches of Good-Tidings 
and the well uttered doctrines of Saint Speak-well. 
And so it was, there w^as a third wing of opposi- 
tion, based on the ground of the aforesaid lessons 
of Good-Tidings and Speak-Well, war upon lust, 
ease, and pleasure ; such as come of man just as 
he is born and nurtured in all the license of 
Great Nation Depravity. 

This class became large and formidable on 
short notice ; so, all in all, Satan worked up a 
deal of hate and opposition to Prince Soul-Life. 

Nevertheless, the programme held firm and the 
play went on to its fullest completion. 



108 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER EIGHT. 

So next, one came forth from off the seats of 
Little Nation Sanctified, by the name of Live- 

AND-DO. 

He thus addresses the whole Auditory of both 
Nations : "I am the representative, both of life 
and ACTION — lioly life, with deeds issuing there- 
from in perfect and loyal obedience to all things 
taught of the 'The Prince of Life.' When he 
found us we were 'dead ni trespasses and sins,' 
and being the 'Author of Eternal Life,' he stood 
over our grave, and called aloud till we awoke into 
fair existence and came forth having our life in- 
side of His ; and His inside of Infinite Fullness. 
The whole process is called 'Life and Immortal- 
ity brought to light in the Gospel.' When our 
much loved Prince of Life came out of his own 
tomb, he shook the earth so open it can never 
again be made to furnish another tight grave ; 
and he so shook down the walls of Soul-Prison, 
ever more he goes with impunity right in and calls 
them out. In this mighty call, he uses a fine col- 
lection of words having vast variety and scope. 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



109 



Now it is not the simple words themselves that 
break prisoners' chains and wake the dead to 
life ; for it is one called, Hidden-Help, so pow- 
erful, no restriction of earth, or hell, can be laid 
upon him, now nor ever hereafter. Those who 
receive this great Help are said to be 'Born of 
the Spirit,' and also to be 'Created in Christ 
Jesus unto good works.' 

"So it is C native power that works in Little 
Nation Sanctified and makes her the power of 
earth to-day. 

'•Now, the life we have is Love; the Parent of a 
thousand noble gifts with which the soul is endowed ; 
such as 'patience,' 'meekness,' 'mercy,' 'tem- 
perance,' 'kindness,' 'cleanliness,' 'good works,' 
and *joy,' abounding forever. Nor is this 
LOVE of any earthly sort, as though it could be 
brought down to a description, for the love of 
father, mother, lands, and life itself, are all 'hates,' 
compared with an affection so lofty as this Love, 
which is our life. Yea, it Avas tliis Love that 
translated us from Nation Depravity and made 
us citizens of Little Nation Sanctified for time 
and eternity. For two reasons it is divine; first, 
God gave it by a miracle of his goodness; set- 
ting it right in the heart of each child of Little 
Nation Sanctified ; — second, it not only came 



110 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



from God but it looks back to God ; holding a 
greater attachment for Him than for any other 
being whatever ; yet it loves mankind next to Su- 
preme Jehovah. 

**And this is the philosophy of our obedience to 
him : *We keep his commandments because we 
love him,^ This affection, within, leads the 
whole life of deeds throughout Little Nation 
Sanctified ; and to-day looks upon the unfortunate 
sons of Nation Depravity with a most tender wish 
to lead them to accept the same noble life, so 
marvelously formed in our every soul. 

'*Now, notwithstanding, I, to-day, wear the 
name of LiVE-And-Do : yet, be it known, I joined 
to Little Nation under a very different name to 
that. It was this : Do-And-Live. So 'Do-And- 
Live' becomes *LivE-And-Do.' 

**It was on this wise with me on entering Nation 
Sanctified to hear its Teachers give its lessons, 
I first came to a gate called Provisional. At that 
gate, I found one Tell-Truth unfolding my 
dread state as a citizen of Nation Depravity, and 
the tremendous cost of my Kedemption. He lay 
me for a dread time at the base of Mt.Sinai,till its 
thunders and quakings alarmed me to all things 
save actual death. So the Law was a schoolmas- 
ter to lead me to Christ.' 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Ill 



**Tlien coming nigher I drew up to a gate called 
Break-Off. There was one stationed Avho told 
me I must <break off my sins;' and all former 
habits ; and break off the lines with which 
Monarch Soul-Death had been leading me about. 
Being much engaged for my poor soul I dashed 
them off, and in haste fled to the next gate where 
I met one talking to many like myself, of *Im- 
plicit Trust in Mercy's Son,' who alone could 
save from the wide spread Ruin of Great Nation 
Depravity . 

*'The name of this gate was Set-Free ; for the 
moment 1 entered it, I was freed of all my 
troubles, sins, and fears. * Freed from the con 
demnation of the law;' freed from Satan's fear- 
ful sway, and freed from death which lay upon 
my soul, with a sure promise to come out of the 
grave, and by and by be freed from it all. 

*'So at Provisional gate, I had to see and 
hear ; and at Break-Off gate, not only to 
see and hear, but turn against self, the aw fullest 
struggle known in all this world. Then at gate 
Set-Free, I not only used eyes and ears, but the 
'whole heart' became involved in the struggle ; 
for right there, I gave one life for another; one- 
self for another ; one Nation for another ; and one 
world for another. Now, seeing all this was re- 



112 FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



quired of me, and upon me, I called the whole 
affair by the name of Do-And-Live ; for they told 
me if I did not do, I would be damned ; but when 
I got through and looked with abetter eye upon it 
all, seeing most clearly it was Hidden-Help 
that brought me through, why then, I changed 
my name of Do-and-Live, for one most appropri- 
ate of all, LiVE-And-Do; for it was Prince Soul- 
Life, that mot Monarch Soul-Death, who held me 
in his grasp, and slew him outright. Then his 
voice thundered me out of my soul's grave and 
joined my life to his. I began to covet full and 
free citizenship over in Sanctified Nation." 

Now it came to pass, after the Prince of Dark- 
ness had beheld, and heard to this extent those 
things uttered by Little Nation Sanctified, know- 
ing they "Speak as the Spirit gave them utter- 
ance," he sat in pensive melancholy through all 
the gloomy night, and thus addressed himself : 

*'I am Lucifer, who in the plenitude of my de- 
votion to other gods, left high courts and plunged 
to the depths of nether space, ranging far and 
wide, to right and left, for many centuries, till 
at length I found this remote nucleus of mind 
and matter on which Prince Immanuel had not 
vet found His track ; and here formed to myself 
a center in the wastes of eternal distance from 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



113 



all other gods, to plant and build my kingdom 
without rival interruption. But, behold! Another 
covets the strength I have formed. Already He 
faces my banner with His ; and shapes the embryo 
of defiant opposition to my reign, hitherto luxu- 
riant with amnesty, winking at my former revolt, 
if so be I, a god, should worship other gods, 
rather than they only gods should worship me, 
fully god. 

**Away with the morbid dream, (if gods can 
dream), and dream it must be, for it groans un- 
der the nightmare of visionary destruction to my 
long prosperous dominion. If not a dream, I'll 
feed my rage against this late invasion, inflamed 
with a pride to rule, and crowned with vaunting 
aim, to slay a god and waste his store gathered 
by industrious innocence. Ah, more ; I have 
promoted even man till he is *as gods knowing 
good and evil.' Seeing this, why should I be dis- 
turbed, and made to spend this night in stupen- 
dous unrest? O, mind within me ! ruminate the 
past, and bring home to memory some long gone 
thoughts that will sway me into happy aveal, 
singing of stately repose. Ah, now, I sleep ! and 
dream my fears are causeless. Behold, what 
conquest awaits me ! I now see my banner 
streaming down from ten thousand worlds on 



114 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



high ; and the very stars are wayside lights, trans- 
porting my victorious legions from sky to sky. 
But hark! I hear a God walking by me in dead 
of night! O, the touch of His hand! Can't I 
awake V Yes. Yonder He goes, spreading light 
wherever I have put darkness. 

**My soul! my soul ! ! to call thy recollections 
thou hast come afresh ; for what I now see, 
standing in the midst of Little Nation Sanctified, 
is what I saw mighty ages past when 1 was yet in 
heaven ; and the true inwardness of all the chil- 
dren of Little Nation Sanctified is resplendant 
with the glories I used to behold when with the 
'God of Holiness.' Now it doth richly mani- 
fest itself to my mind, that the very essence of 
all these things, uttered here by the sons of King 
Soul-Life, now contrasting his kingdom with my 
kingdom, are well like to all those things I saw 
and heard millions of ages past, when I, myself, 
was in heaven serving my equals ; so I am now 
persuaded, true enough it is, the Spirit of Light 
has transferred his kingdom to this planet, and 
actually set it to my opposition and cherished 
downfall. O the burst of vision that now greets 
my eyes ! far away down the lines of ages yet to 
come(?) (is it, or is it past?) (I dream and 
mourn ot sorrow, dreaming vague and incohe- 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



115 



rent thoughts ) I see myself fearfully straitened 
in contest with this God that now visits me. Ah ! 
more, I behold my angels 'also believe and 
tremble,' as He casts some from their strong- 
holds; and others beg for homes, not in heaven, 
but in mean swine; and others still, are honor- 
ing him with the cry that lusteth to know if he 
will 'torment them before the time.' Yes, and 
more upon much, I see myself (and is it present 
past or future?) for drowsy sleep and clumsy 
thought confuse my laboring soul this night, but 
I see myself arrayed in glories as never before, 
and casting at Him with my mightiest efforts to 
tempt Him into a ruinous fall, in the 'wilder- 
ness,' 'on the mountain top,' and then upon 
the 'Temple pinnacle,' till every revenue of 
strength is exhausted, and all in vain. O now 
again (wake or sleep, dream or knowledge) the 
whole heavens and earth combined are wrapped 
in one gush of splendors for me ; lights and dark- 
nesses ; thunders, armies, and blood ; for I see 
after all, I chase Him to His grave whilst all crea- 
tion howled Him down to deepest degradation ; 
the best of heavens blushing to lend Him aid till 
all hell thunders with joyous applause. 

"O, the glories of this hour! How complete 
my VICTORY over Prince Soul-Life ; for He is 



116 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



locked up in a rock grave ; and dead as death was 
ever known to be. Ah, this is too good for a 
dream ; I am certainly awake, and it is all a Fact. 
Immanuel is dead ! My kingdom killed Him ; and 
all Jerusalem shouts with me around His well 
guarded grave ; this is the finest moment I have 
ever witnessed." 

Now, here, he swoojied into a state of perfect 
rest, overcome of joy, and triumph ; and there he 
lay in perfect sleep for "three days and nights" 
breathing free and floating on a golden cloud, just 
above the magnificent capitol of his (now) un- 
rivaled kingdom. 

But hark ! I hear him again; '*0h! Oh!! 
my heart breaks of defeat ; for I now see him 
shuddering in His restless grave, charnel of all 
my conquests ; till thero iring earth bursts it open, 
and a God of miglitier glories than mine shakes 
my throne with tread of invasion as I have never 
felt before ! Ah, this is a dream again ; too mean 
to be true, for it is the cursed fumes of night that 
rest like fogs around my head, that genders these 
horrid fears. O, catch my crown and bring it 
back I my scepter too ! for a sudden shock just 
now robbed me of both. 

"Ah, I see King Immanuel in the skies ; *hence- 
forth expecting till his enemies be made his foot- 
stool.' " 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



117 



Now, when the heavy shades of drowsy night 
had passed, and life breathing morn began to fan 
the face of this weary god, it roused hun from 
dreams and reveries and left him yet hope enough 
to cherish highest victories to be won by long and 
subtle chase despite the weight of any revelation 
that had thrown itself upon him through the long- 
foreboding night. 

Peal! Peal! Peal! Thunders the mountain 
bell as it calls the hosts of nations to the Temple 
again. I hear them rush as waters, and roar as 
winds till the repast of gods begins. 

So now, I beheld one coming forth to speak 
to the asseml)lies of tribes, whose name was 
Eternity. Eternity uttered true sayings, but 
hard to be understood, iov man is not up to his 
lessons, nor can he see to the end of a going so 
far remote. Said he to the multitudes: 

live forever, neither grow old nor fail in my 
strength. I lose nothing ; retain all things : and 
add to my store whilst years, as forests, rise and 
fall ; ever learning and never forgetting things 
once learned, till my store will amass inconceiva- 
bly. I breathed all time as one breath ; for if 
you were to carpet eternal space with figures it 
would not count my years ; therefore the human 
soul has in me an estate of greatness of over- 



118 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



whelming magnitude. I am a shoreless sea ; 
boundless realm ; countless store ; infinite time ; 
endless duration ; everlasting years ; undying, 
immortal, fathomless, even the life time of God 
and the life-time of the soul. I will last whilst 
one, wanting, would absorb all the waters of the 
ocean with his pen. Let one man begin with 
Adam, the first, and live, one by one, the lives 
of every man on earth, and he shall have taken 
the step, performed the deeds, throbbed the pul- 
sations, and exhausted the years of all, ere yet 
eternity shall have swung its sun clear of the 
morning horizon. All the hills of earth can, 
by one slow hand, be drojDped, one dust at 
a time, through a golden tube long before 
I have shed the grey dawn of my morn. If an 
angel remove one grain of earth every million 
years, and drop it in some deep hot cave of the 
burning sun, the whole earth will have been trans- 
ferred across the heavens long before Eternity 
has adjusted his toilet ; or put on his traveling 
garb to take his morning walk. Let me say that 
the happy will be with me an age, and feel like it 
was but an hour ; but the wicked will be with me 
one hour, and affirm it was an age." 

Here he sat down and all smote their breasts 
saying, '*We do well to take heed to our course in 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



119 



life ; for if we reap what we sow, so long as 
thus expressed, it is a solemn thing to live." 

But whilst they mused upon a thought so gi- 
gantic, their attention was arrested by the pro- 
digious size of one whose very tread made the 
Temple creak and reel as the monster stepped 
slowly to the front ; for he was so mighty he 
could have crushed a giant in the grip of his 
hand. His voice was as thunder ; and he stood 
as a colossus, whilst he spake the following : 
*'My name is Grow-Forever. I have been here 
centuries, continually enlarging; for I sicken not 
nor die, nor can I stay the process of enlarge- 
ment. 

'^Providence provides for me, adapting all things 
to my necessities. 

"I tread down forests as grass, and wade seas 
as brooks, though now only a child. 

"Were you to see me in years to come, I could 
nurse all the nations of earth on my lap at once, 
counting them as ants nestled on a chip. The 
time will come when I can sit down upon the 
mountains of Asia, and with my foot push all 
Europe out into the ocean; for eventually the 
clouds will part around my head, whilst winds 
and storms fall dead at my feet. By and by, I 
will cast a shadow that will cover a whole conti- 



120 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



nent, and when I spring myself upon the earth 
it will go together as a gum ball ; for I will yet 
become the giant of the skies. 

**So as the spirit of man adds truth to truth, 
knowledge to knowledge, wisdom to wisdom and 
love to love, ever learning, and never forgetting, 
or losing anything once gained it, as an attain- 
ment, till a man in Eternity will transcend all 
present contemplations. 

*'0 think,that in the world to come an immortal 
spirit will course its way onward and upward, 
ever advancing toward the Infinite ; and yet never 
realizing its end ! ' ' 

Then did I behold in my dream the people 
were wonder-seized, and panic-smitten, insomuch 
no one durst speak until the lapse of time shed 
forth deliverance for the cowering mass. After 
this, came one whose eyes were red like fire, and 
his head did smoke with fervid pain. Said he : 
"My name is Hell !" and here he stopped for 
breath, and belched from his mouth and nose tor- 
rid flames that rose like bursting clouds circling 
the upper vault. 

Now at the sight of this, all were terrified, and 
rushed in wild confusion from the Temple ; and 
did shake as they stood upon the hills, yea, did 
quake with reverential fear. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



121 



But in the midst of all this, Sataii roared a 
laugh of composure that caught the attention of 
most of his Lords and Elders, till they made halt 
to hear what his great heroism might say in time 
of fearful danger. 

So Beelzebub flourished his crown and sceptre 
over his head, as in fine favor he thus addressed 
the affrighted multitudes : "O, ye gods, on whom 
I have labored my boast for weeks and months to 
prove / am high divine, pray save your courage^ 
and me the great name even Holy Writ itself hath 
freely given to me when it called me <Lion,' 
*Prince,' 'Beelzebub !' Being thus, O youth- 
ful sons, Ilaugh at your fears, to prove to you I 
am more than master of all my hosts, and can 
make them feel never so safe as when studying 
the composure of my unaffected Spirit. 

*'Now hearken to me, whilst I speak like a god. 
'Heir is an old lie ; often used in Little Nation 
to scare fools \ and wheedle my sons into sacred 
measures. So come back and stand like men, 
though 'Heir may bray with thunders of fright ; 
and Mvword for it, his ghostly store, when fully 
told, will simply train your courage bold, to 
scorn a warfare that seeks blind fright as its fa- 
vored medium, when gentle truth and loving 
reason fail to move." 



122 FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 

So saying, Lucifer thus restrained his fawning 
whelps with fluent lies that made them grin at God 
and fold their arms in stolen rest. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



123 



CHAPTER NINE. 



Then came forth one to speak, by the name of 
Second-Death. He spake to them in tones 
sadly sublime, whilst ever and anon, sounds of 
most plaintive wail were heard all over the Tem- 
ple, awakened by the melancholy theme that so 
fearfully belabored the spell-bound multitudes. 
Also, I beheld the vast audience room, in which 
the story of Death was rehearsed, was craped in 
black; women sitting with disheveled hair, whilst 
pale blushing lights swung from the lofty dome 
of the curving arch above. All its sombre win- 
dows w€re palled with umber folds of long pend- 
ing palace shrouds, whilst roaring thunders in the 
heavens, but made the gloom of that awful hour 
the more horrible. The people wept, whilst some 
shrieked aloud, surcharged of fear and an ach-' 
ing conscience. Second-Death thus addressed 
the massive throngs : 

* 'Wading through the waste of immortal woe, 
to exhaust all ages in helpless war, with God and 
his inexoral)le law, is a lost, lost Soul ! 

< 'Their horizon hangs a pall of gloom ; a 



124 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



crushing thought of mightier doom ; for down 
the plains of damnation, roared the thundering 
blasts of an incensed Lord ; scullions and cohorts 
with infernal rage, plundering the soul of every 
hope engaged, till ruin's broad wake swept from 
pole to pole. 

*'One prisoner clanked a thousand chains of 
yore, chased by a legion devils or more ; with 
hideous yells, and eye-balls aglare, that shroud 
the maze with immortal dreads. 

** Another cried : 'Memory is my bane j and 
more to me than all my pain ; for could I forget 
the crying cross : reduce its truth to dust, and 
dross ; I would sing in hell of triumphs won, re- 
stored in hope, with freedom begun.' 

* 'Another, appalled of guilt, did say : 'Give 
way, ye pillars of wrath,give — ye vultures come ; 
pile on ye hills to hide my trembling soul, from 
the approach of his awful ire — it is the gaze of 
God that consumes me, from whose face alas I 
can not flee.' 

"And thus another cried, inflamed of sense: 
'What breaks my soul is dread suspense, that 
hangs aloft in solemn fright, throughout sin's 
dark, and wailing night; or some rupturing surge, 
some heaving gorge, primed with power to 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



125 



wreck my deathless soul, in the catastrophe of 
face to face with God.' 

"Now Satan, who from lofty heaven fell in haste 
to seize a crow^n from him withheld, doth grace- 
less sit through all the endless round, lashed with 
wounds that reached his burning throne, so high 
in woe's vast realm, his peering head doth fret 
the crisping dome ; as thundering darkness comes 
rolling high, to empale him with the wreck of all 
Satan was, ere yet his stately kingdom went to 
naught. 

*'But hark,I hear a wail of muttering grief— woes 
inexorable, defying relief, voices that roar with a 
midnight wail ; intoned with terrors no lan- 
guage can tell. To augment woe, come forth, in 
angry haste. Winds, Clouds, Storms, with light- 
ning gash ; seas of wrath slopping over, with 
mad assault, to inveigh against the black w^alls of 
doom, entering suit for mightier room. 

Now, in the explosion, upon him fell Satan's 
throne, burying him benaath the wreck of all his 
wily craft had thus done ; fixing him the quaking 
centre of countless sins and measureless shame, 
around which everlastin«: nifjht shall martial her 
spectral hosts, charged with war upon a fallen god. 

"Thus he fell, a mass of quivering hates, 
sprawled on the dunghill of doleful defeats. 



126 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



**So demsons, fearing Satan afore, now had rea- 
sons to fear him more ; for his colossal form en- 
gage did stir the seething lake vital with souls, 
keeping in wild commotion the whole realm of 
breathing darkness, and shapeless night ; whilst, 
from volcanoes of dismal grandeur, he would 
rain royal destruction abroad. 

**But listen to the champ of prisoners' rage ; for 
war doth all the hosts engage; men and devils, ill 
matched in every case, friends, high lords, and 
scullions base ; parent against child, husband 
against wife, everything defiled, raging in the 
strife : each to his foe a crusade of hell, such havoc 
I know, God only can tell. But look now, if thou 
canst believe thine eyes ; I see a form rising up to 
speak, as he stands far down the azure aisle, 
chafed with the electricity of fierceness : 'Let 
us consort to batter down this wall ; let us vie, 
Diabolus, men and all, with fealty inward dwell- 
ing, to seize and bombard these thundering gates ; 
push out the pillars of this burning realm; to leak 
out this quaking sea ; and plant the evergreen of 
peace along the sunlit shore of freedom regained.' 

*'Now, all the tribes of woe responded 'Amen,' 
when this cry of exasperation ceased ; and seized 
with revolt, as by mania, the bellowing hosts of the 
infernal pit assault its walls to })urst their gates ; 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



127 



and with the prowess of raving riot, storm Ruin's 
fort with maddened hope. So the insurrection ply 
their ordnance to the grizzly gates that mount the 
arch, battering rams surcharged with headlong dash 
plunged from long range off hell's lofty peak, 
to break the ramparts of colossal night. But the 
roar thereof, close confined, was more than other 
woes combined ; so as to stun with dead restraints 
this bedlam of lofty confusion. 

"Then with pick, sledge, and massive saws, they 
pry the stubborn Jiinge that stays their doom ; but 
from some dark, some God-appointed cause, such 
giant dreads and ghastly shades of gloom por- 
tend their plans, brought up from sin's deep lair, 
they fell a prey to grim and black despair. 

*'Now here, they pry the cope, the crown of 
night; scaling the towering arch to utmost height, 
to reach the sable-mounted pavillion ; but soon a 
cohort fell so deep no force could ever replace 
their fatal step, swept off Woe's dark mountain 
bluff. 

''Then the residue regained their wanton stay, to 
muse on the infeasibility of escape from infinite en- 
thrallments. 

*'At this point, his Majesty, a council called, 
forcing a plan to retrieve defeat. This royal 
court, thus bent with wise intent to excel the 



128 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



schemes already spent, sought the help of art and 
aids of lore, as found in store from every war, 
till thus advised against the wall, they soon de- 
cree its fated fall. But the wheel no friction 
bore, nor cut a line upon the defiant arch. 

*'They then concluded to seek egress, by means 
of Dormer windows perched aloft. But lo ! the 
windows fought the grim assault, both right and 
left, with burning swords, overdrawn by wielding 
arm, equipped with magic might — black imps 
more Satan than Satan himself, voracious to de- 
vour, till it safest was, by far, to dwell within. 

** After this they seek to perforate her floors; 
the maddened hosts plunging her neath floods for 
long and weary days, in route below; till, in the 
lowest Yault of death, they stood to execute their 
god-defying vow. 

*'But, when they reached these doleful depths 
wearied down, lo ! they were guarded, but too 
well, by frightful monsters, bred in hell; so they 
no anguish know, or pain endure, since they, hy 
NATURE, /eecZ o?ij^re. Thus, the explorers, with 
final defeat, in mutinous fright, made upward re- 
treat, pursued by the beasts of the pit's deep lair, 
abandoned their aim in utter despair, finding their 
doom tenfold more to be viewed with dread than 
ever before. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



129 



*'Last of all, they devise each other's death; all 
woe in murderous war on one to out- do heaven's 
ro3'al decree, by blotting out long-suffering entity . 

"But in that soul was breathed eternal breath, 
that all damnation could not check ; since death 
itself did stalk abroad with lusty life. 

*'Then, heard lone, in doleful soliloquies, speak- 
ing in strains of pensive grief: 'I am lost I 
LOST ! ! FOREVER LOST ! ! I 'LosT,' a word 
that's used so oft, but known of none ; for Mind, 
though vast, is but a mind at best, too scant to 
circle round this awful thought, that riots in sense 
all bounds to elope. 'Forever;' what doth mean 
the awful sound ! Duration throughout years of 
ceaseless round ; my soul to waste forever, yet in- 
crease ; consigned to death, yet not decease ; for 
earth hears to no avail, though words abound ; 
for in its strains the Rich Man's wails resound, 
with power scarce to check an idle thought ; whilst 
men, yet free from wrath, mocked him back ; and 
laugh like loons o'er all he said. 

' O could I but speak equal to my grief ! It 
would melt the iron heart of cursing law, and 
move the gods to compassionate relief ; for the 
felicity of vent is lofty rest, since dumb silence is 
keenest distress. 

'Had each a clarion, stately, tall, to pour his 



130 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



thunder dumb above this sty ; then let them reek 
and roar, *mid other worlds ; we'd blast the bliss 
of every sphere, till ours received condoling 
care. 

'*Now, Imperial Satan sat, suffused with sobs, 
in wreaking griefs and deep convulsive sighs ; 
and there he sat in night's deep umber shades, till 
the swellings of anguish bid him rise and seek the 
favors of inconstancy, till all hisr^alm, oppressed 
with burning wants, in mass, did join the howl of 
kindred wails ; as all damnation raised a deafen- 
ing roar, that shook the hosts of mad revolting 
doom, aback upon their lowly beds of night, as 
with a far off echo dies the voice of oft subdued 
im petuosity . ' ' 

At the close of this solemn rehearsal, I beheld, 
and lo ! Satan was in a rage, for Hell had open- 
ed his mouth so wide, vast realities besiezed the 
listening hosts of Beelzebub, till the former laugh 
of courage can no longer hide a million quaking 
fears. Eternal Truth had put his sword to the 
neck of unyielding Hates, and bade them rever- 
ence God. 

But even falling Satan has his rise ; as discour- 
aged Pharaoh, resuming maddened hope, came, 
even the tenth time, face to face, to curse his God. 
Industrious Sin sweeps out its own convictions, till 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



131 



the mightiest reign of terror melts awa}' before 
the smiling face of carnal days and shifting 
scenes. 



132 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER TEN. 

The Temple is now cleansed; and flushed with 
roseate light. Its nectar flows : and grace be- 
decks its every arch, and case ; whilst music 
chimes as only cliimes, when men are free from 
care and pain. It is the last meeting of the 
nations: and "Our Home m Glory" becomes 
the last rehearsal, serving as a valedictory over 
all. 

So in they come with joy, swino^ round its 
long and circling aisles, till myriads sit in eager 
wish to join the glad salute. Providence had thus 
pre-arranged for Adam's lost, but heaven-favored 
sons. 

First. (The Resurrection of the saintly 
dead : and the good of all ages assembled in one 

ETERNAL CONCOURSE.) 

1. 

To blast the seals of Death the Victor comes, 
And calls the exiled sons of glory home. 
2. 

Through transport hope, we see the fields all 
white. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



133 



The harvest of God, with its reapers bright, 
As from their tombs of long and blest repose. 
They rise, like clouds of praise above their foes. 
Till high in the air, a union is formed, 
Of the Saintly dead, now richly adorned, 
In robes of day, and crowns of burning light. 

3. 

O, greetings sweet! mid shouts that rend the air. 
As millions come in shapes divinely fair ; 
And Saint meets risen Saints, as friend meets 
friends. 

For mothers clasp their long lost babes once 
more, 

(As all the good of earth that wept of yore. 
Now mount the skies, till one vast cloud they 
float ) 

To meet their Lord with one triumphant shout. 
Till sinners below, look lofty on high 
To the Saints, as they go with the angels to vie. 
As the City of God *' descends to the earth," 
(In limitless light) from an heavenly birth. 
4. 

From land and from seas, with felicitous ease. 
They pinion their flight, with heaven to their sight ; 
From the lonely tomb, and its reeking gloom. 
At the flash of day, they hasten away 
To the call of God, that gathers this brood. 



134 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



To celestial rest, with its vast behest 
Of abounding love, and its lofty bliss. 

5. 

From dreams of drowsy night they happy hail, 
With passport sudden into heaven's light, 
To find infinite gain on all their blissful weal, 
By which they have forever cast away 
The darkened glass and time's long drowsy 
stay; 

Angelic forms ascending from the sod, 
To wed the Bride to Christ, the Lamb of God. 
6. 

Second. ( In blissful pomp they enter Heaven, 
first stopping in its great Feast Chamber to cele- 
brate the Nuptial of the vast City ; After that, 
they begin to swing its rounds of glory that loom ' 
with increasing splendors each rising moment.) 

7. 

But whilst they pause upon the sunlight wing. 
To hear the minstrels of sweet heaven sing. 
Beginning to vie with the choral song. 
By a shout on high, as it flows along; 
Equipping might to stand in such a place. 
Is breathed on all, as an enduring grace. 
As though the feast of glory was too vast 
For ransomed man's attempt at Royal Repast. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



135 



8. 

Sailing round this city, vast in glories, 
Plashing golden waves of sunny lakelets, 
They dock their stately ship to lead the van, 
Upon emblazoned shores ; and take their stand 
Where waiters, plumed of God, go forth to greet 
This throng from the earth, their Savior to meet : 
For 'tis the ready Bride, in waiting guise, 
With splendors that outflame the richest skies. 

9. 

As the pearly gates are expanded wide. 
The approach, to greet, of the Lamb's fair Bbide, 
Fruition's store is ready made to burst. 
The Nuptial Day to crown with festive rest. 

10. 

Equipped, ten thousand tables sumptuous stand, 
^Tierehalos of bright forms attend each call, 
With chalice of pellucid gold in hand, 
To the satiate hush of the wants of all. 

11. 

Enthrallments here, and pangs of wasting care. 
Became estates of wealth in that good sphere ; 
Each throe of time begets an heavenly prize. 
Till dreary earth is washed of golden seas, 
And wars of time are swayed of sacred peace. 
12. 

Yea, terrors grim, and fear's foreboding sway. 



i 



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FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Like gathering darkness, falling o'er the way, 
Spreads heaven's dewy morn with gilded sheen ; 
For all we tell on earth of what we've seen, 
Of wars orfrighWn heaven make laughing strains, 
Till sweetest rest is made of sharpest pains. 
13. 

A rhapsody of ditties now ensxjes. 

Elixir of an all inspiring story. 

Till pilgrims, long by Satan sore abused. 

Restraints set by, and laughed right out in glory ; 

For all the "Mourners" here, are laughers there. 

Laugh, laugh, laugh; laugh, laugh^ laugh till 

' sullen care, 
With morbid fears, and raging wants of time, 
Are laughing strains in all that state sublime. 
14. 

As strolling eyes, alert, did upward gaze 
Through starry deeps, despite its distant haze. 
Whilst here they sat in musing's favored rest. 
To scan the span of glory's vast behest. 
Ten legion angel babes, as white as snow. 
Espied aloft, did joyous clarions blow. 
As away they dash on the golden crest 
Of a flowing light, with a bounding zest ; 
For be it well known, and never forgot. 
That Heaven is full of our chattering sort; 
The babes of every age, all countries too, 



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137 



Dying whilst young, as full half of them do ; 
Convene, no doubt, in this ecstatic sphere, 
Where Christ transforms the drooling babes of 
earth 

Into poetic shapes, with charming air. 
Sweet laughing rhapsodies of sacred mirth. 
15. 

A retinue came through the skyey way, 
All chanting blithef ul songs of marchers gay, 
As echo, echo, echo ever more, 
Comes tossing back from the most distant shore. 
Till ever and anon, voyagers, all. 
Satiate with sight and sense, decree to fall 
From lofty pinion's gaze, on grounds elect, 
O'erspreading heaven's green fields of sacred rest. 
16. 

Now, borne on hands of tallest seraphim. 
Was seen a babe, of size, a foot in height, 
By mother Angels nursed — a perfect thing — . 
As it did chatter go*lden words of praise : 

am the least of babes caught up from earth. 
My life was robbed the night of fated birth ; 
My mother was a whore, as foul as fiend. 
In midnight sewer our life at once did end, 
Chilled in the loathsome sty, with aching cold, 
My naked form did lie for hours untold, 
Till in this dying plight, an high escort, 



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Led forth my welcome flight to reach this port." 
17. 

This angel wee, a foot in height, no more. 
Went out on its wings, like a dove, to soar 
With a flowing song, as glided along, 
To alight on the bosom of Jesus on high, 
Till Ha, Ha^HA ! out right they laughed in heaven. 
As all the hosts did see, this angel wee. 
How gay it could fly, so exceeding spry. 
And play on the wing, a sweet little thing. 
The veriest cue of heavenly ditties. 

18. 

There, wrapped in ecstacies of heavenly love, 
And sweet amazement thrilling life above, 
Whilst looking upward to elysian skies. 
Arrayed with mercy's store, in flaming guise, 
Not only Pilgrims, up in glory fair. 
Who sing anew the God-irapassioned air ; 
But, now inspired by man's transcendant bliss, 
With life anew and praises louder told, 
Bright Angel Bands, who waft on wings of ease, 
With flaming harps, wrought of sonorous gold ; 
And Mighty Seraphim, most stately tall. 
With flaming triumphs equipped to sweep the sky. 
And Cherub Host, with loudest praise of all, 
Great heaven's matchless Courtiers circling high," 
Like clouds of souls, and countless songsters gay. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



139 



Till, Saints and Seraphs all combined were heard, 
Harmonic as vast glory's shout could be : 
Whilst blissful heaven's Harp, Grace planned of 
old. 

So glorious wrought in all its fabric vast. 
From arch to arch in strains of purest gold. 
Prepared for such as chime the songs of grace. 
Was jointly played by groom, and Nuptial Bride, 
As joy in high array forever stood, 
Eternal fixed in Heaven's most central gate. 
Where all things brightly beam, irradiate, 
With God's own eye, enshrined Monarch of all. 
Third. — (Here, great congregations assembled 
from time to time, to hear the Orators of glory 
relate their troubles on earth ; and express their 
infinite preferences for Heaven as it is, over earth 
as it was. The Scriptures abundantly teach, the 
Saints will spend their Eternity on this earth ; 
which will undergo as great change, as our bodies 
themselves, will share in the Resurrection : the 
**New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven," 
being a vast city (and no fancy) in which Christ 
will display his Divinity in the presence of the 
Saints forever and forever). 

19. 

Assembled now the rapturous saints lay bare 
Their pilgrimage of time, and earthly care; 



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Rehearsing sweetly all their war on earth, 
Till death, the gate of Higher Life, gave birth, 
Into the Spirit world, illumed by grace. 
To quicken sluggish dreams and drowsy hopes, 
Unto imperial splendors, wondrous, vast. 
Each humble Saint, to loom in royal robes 
Where Gabriel, (^not of grace) can never pass. 

20. 

With eyes that beam, and looks, angelic fair. 
One rose to speak, possessed with tranquil air: 
*'In yonder vvorld, I was a woman old. 
Seduced by flaming lies, most skillful told ; 
Poor WOMAN ! Satan's vassal duped of sin. 
To 'cursed' man was bound and * cursed' within. 
Till won by lust, 'ruled by man,' 'cursed of God,' 
A prey she fell, to sin's abhorred abode. 
That made a river of most galling tears. 
To course the line of long Six thousand years. 

21. 

"So there I bore the burdened heft of life; 

For knitting, stitch by stitch, for daily bread, - 

My morning prayers first being faithful said, 

Tottering anon, some water to bring. 

With faltering step, from the neighboring spring ; 

My Bible did read, its lessons to heed ; 

By fasting and prayer the Tempter withstood, 

Till out of all, too blissful to tell, 



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141 



I had a glad call, in 'Mansions to dwell.' 
22. 

*'In my grave I'd been a thousand silent years, 
When peals of Judgment fell from thundering 
heights. 

My Spirit freed from toils, from griefs and fears. 
Espying earth with sense of strange delight, 
Until my grave was lost to all mankind, 
My flesh and bones dissolved to dust, you mind. 
Absorbed by the roots of a great oak-tree, 
That flourished for years, then perished away." 
23. 

"A rich imm' s palace , then stood over my grave, 
Vast marble pile with flowing halls and domes. 
His Living House (my tomb) our dust did save, 
Till wasting time decreed the Mansion's doom : 
In turn, a river's widening' wake did suro^e 
My ashes hence, bequeathed a Avatery world ; 
Till the knell of time and its funeral dirge. 
Resolved me into this exotic prime." 

24. 

When this parade of years was fully told. 
She graceful rose, in flaming suits of gold. 
Once glazed with tears, her eyes, now full of joy, 
To peer in glory's high, and tond employ. 
She stood, a Seraph fair, enshrined above, 
Her face irradiate with impassioned love, 



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That moved the camps of God to raise a shout, 
And send a thrill of laughing bliss, throughout 
The courts of grace, now filled with mutual praise. 
25. 

'Twas then another Saint most tranquil, rose. 
Endued with lofty gifts of ample heaven, 
Compared with sorry earth, and thus disclosed 
His fine estate of most transcendent good : 
*'I came of a savage tribe, and I alone, 
Among them all, received this gracious boon. 
By feeble Mission borne to 'Sidon's' shore; 
For caught of truth my soul embarked of yore. 
For realms beyond that world of heathen night. 

26. 

Although my soul was seized of sacred might, 
I live through all my days in pagan night; 
With something in my breast, unknown before, 
My soul beseized of rest, ne'er felt of yore, 
I ne'er could tell, not being half so wise. 
What caused it to remain, and thus devise 
My highest good, an inborn might. 
Of solace sweet, and unctions of delight, 
That radiate my path throughout that war 
Of cursed knight-errantry, and chafing toils. 

27. 

<*Though forced, by lot, to live in cruelty's reign. 
Its war of hates, I ne'er could love again, 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



143 



Once having tasted of far better love ; 
Yet, left without the pale of gentle care, 
Too oft beguiled with savage gallantry, 
I charged the iMinparts of restraints within. 
And squandered life with lust's egregious reign. 
28. 

''Though led astray by 'lusts' of 'carnal mind,' 
Whilst conscious of a better man within, 
God saved my wandering self by power Divine ; 
Till one breath here, completely freed from sin. 
Transcends the hollow Pomp of life's vain dreams 
Of gallant rage, or 'fame's belabored store.' " 
29. 

Then, One of fine estate, and graceful guise 
All radiant with the glow of matchless prime. 
Most eloquent of Speech, and Cherub wise. 
Rehearsed his chapter in the war of time: 
*'In this composed estate we're met from far. 
Old earth that thunders with its pits of war. 
That roll convulsions of alarm abroad, 
With losses keen, and scourges sore, abhorred, 
Insults that rage, and burdened souls that groan, 
A wilderness of woe, a world undone ! 
From all these, we've come, the 'earth of old,' 
To lofty life like this; the 'earth foretold,' 
Where naught disturbs, but seas of pleasure flow. 
To lull in sweet repose, saints once below. 



144 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Rocked on Time's dark sea since man begLui. 
30. 

'vl came from Malta's Isle, once taught of Paul 
The peerless peer of faith revealed to all, 
When cast to 'coast' from womb of laboring 
sea ; 

For clouds and seas combined in wrathful rage, 
Through MERCY did my highest good engage, 
A Providence that ruled bewildered night, 
Was moved of God to bring my soul to light. 
31. 

"His dastard soul, to ease from crimes o'er- 
wrought, 

The reigning Nero compassed sea and land. 
To beacon sable shrouds of suffering night, 
With torch of human flesh, all pitched and fired ; 
Or donned in skins, to ape the trembling prey. 
The Mastiffs, fierce descry with hungry gaze. 
In bloody shreds, their reeking flesh did tear ; 
Whilst face to face here, I see many more 
His hell of cursed delights both rent and tore." 
32. 

Now, when this Priest of God had meekly told 
His rich account of life and death, so bold. 
His old Compeers in long drawn lines and files. 
Rose up to stand in Glory's circling aisles, 
Full FIFTY MILLION souls, I hear them tell, 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



145 



Once hewn to pieces by the axe of hell, 
Till there its countless throngs swung reels of 
praise, 

As speech by speech through all its lucid days, 
Prolongs the feast that yields to endless call. 
With here and there a rest to muse on all. 
33. 

0 rapturous Heaven, bequeathed my longing soul ! 

1 yearn to quit this mournful stay of time, 
In bliss to roam thy fields from pole to pole, 
A life to live, where all's unfading prime. 



146 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER ELEVEN. 



Hearing all the above, the ged of this world 
groaned within himself and said: "Wherewithal 
shall I replace my foot in my own dominion, for 
the God that drove me out of heaven, even now, 
builds His kingdom with seen and Unseen Hands, 
right in the midst of my kingdom, till my own 
children revolt me, and accept King Jesus. There 
is yet a little remnant of time left me, and by my 
exuberant and prolific imagination , I devise the 
following as yet to be the ground of rich and 
abundant relief to all of my once flourishing, but 
now bewildered prospects. 

"Seeing Immanuel (which means God with 
us) is supplanting my dominion, by what is call- 
ed a church (*Upon this rock I will build my 
church,' saith He. Matt. 16 : 18) so will I re-act 
His power, and on my rock, which is : 'Ye 
are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your 
father will ye do,' (John 8 :44. ) I will build my 
church, and the gates of the upper world shall 
not prevail against it. I will call up a man to 
sit upon my throne, by my side, and make him 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



147 



the head of my church — -Supreme Pontiff over 
all ; I will instigate perpetual war against this 
church of Bang Jesus, killing all His subjects, as I 
can execute them in ways past number ; I will 
burn their books, and change the same very much, 
so as to make it my book, leaving it with the 
stamp of God upon it, inasmuch as I am a god ; I 
will hold all my subjects in perfect ignorance ; I 
will clothe my church with imposing forms, and 
ceremonies shall have in them, administered by 
Priestly Cardinals, all that is essential to any soul ; 
I will dispose of all doctrines of humiliation, re- 
pentance and a change of heart, mighty loves, 
mysterious faiths, leaving men very much to their 
natural dispositions ; I will keep them full of my 
spirit, so as to insure them against what this late 
King calls truth and gospel, knowing I can eas- 
ily do this, inasmuch 'as by nature they are of 
their father, the Devil, and his lust will they do.' 

*'This CHURCH of 7nine I will keep in all those 
quarters of the earth, where this same King Jesus 
shall have established His church, and as the world 
becomes restless on the subject of Christianity, I 
will at once quiet their consciences, by giving 
them my gospel, and my church as a grand sub- 
stitute. 

* 'Among Heathens and Pagans I will allow all 



148 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



sorts of gods and religious worships, till the gos- 
pel of King Jesus is preached to them ; then I 
will immediately rush hither with my church, so 
much like His they will be satisfied with it, and 
yet so much to human tastes and dispositions, 
they will really prefer it to the low humiliations 
and hard terms of this, once far off, but now, ter- 
ritory-invading God, whom I am here to beat." 

Now, whilst the nations yet tarried a few days 
around the Temple and upon the lawns, as if loath 
to leave the place where such mighty achievements 
have been wrouo^ht and attainments made as nev- 
er before. Little Nation Sanctified had a general 
council as to the work before her, rejoicing in the 
prospects of saving souls, and extending the 
kingdom of Immanuel far hence among many na- 
tions. 

They had oft read: *'Ask of me and I will 
give thee the heathen for. thine inheritance, and 
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy pos- 
session . ' ' Psal ms 2 : 8 . 

First, they rehearse and consider well the 
awful CONDITION of the nations that have not the 
Gospel and all that are *'in the world without God 
and without hope." So one by the name of 
Heart's Desire spake to the subject in the fol- 
lowing words : " 'Behold I was shapen in iniquity 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



149 



and ill sin did my mother conceive me.' (Psalms 
51 :8): for 'men go astray as soon as they are 
born speaking lies.' (Ps. 58 :3) : 'being dead in 
trespasses and sin,' (Eph. 2:1); being 'by nature 
the children of wrath,' (Eph. 2:3); 'those who 
are without law shall perish without law,' (Rom. 
2 :12) ; Inasmuch as the Scriptures declare that 
the Gentiles, which have not the law, doing by 
nature the things contained in the law became a 
law unto themselves ; (Rom. 2:14), so all are by 
'the Scriptures concluded under sin,' (Gal. 
3:22). Yea, so awful is the state of things on 
the earth, that men are going to hell by whole na- 
tions ; 'for the wicked shall be turned into hell and 
all the nations that forget God.' (Ps. 9:17). Each 
moment calls some one into eternity, and half of 
all that go, go having never heard of the precious 
name of Jesus who is the 'Lio-ht that lishteth 
every man that cometh into the world ; ' if only 
they could but be reached by His glorious gospel. 
Aside from Him there is no name given under 
heaven, or among men, by which they can be 
saved from their sins. (Acts 4:12). 

"AYc, only, have that name ; and are therefore 
responsible ; for millions of souls are this moment 
dependent on us and our labors to reach an eter- 
nity of rest and blessedness. 



150 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



*'Now consider in the next place the authority 
vested in us. Our King said to us as His last 
word on the earth : 'Go ye into all the world 
and preach the gospel to every creature,' (Mark 
16 :16) ; basing this commission on the high au- 
thority of His Father who had * given all power 
into His hands,' both that belongs to heaven as 
well as that that is in the earth, (^Math. 28:18). 
We are therefore honored mightily among men 
and even above the angels in this that we are the 
great Groom's Bride, (Kev. 22:17); making us 
'laborers together with him' in bringing many 
sons and daughters to the everlasting Father. 
(2 Cor. 6:1). Yea, we are sent forth under a 
commission as broad as the world ; as vast as all 
time, and as stupendous as the occasion of 
Christ's death. All the glories of the upper 
world are to reflect through us, (Matt. 5 :16), to 
reach the inhabitants of this lowly sphere, so if 
our light became darkness, it is darkness greater 
than that that falls upon heathens and pagans ; 
or that went abroad through Egypt in the daj^s of 
judgment ; for the Scripture calleth to know 'if 
the light that is in thee be darkness, how great 
is that darkness.' (Matt. 6 :23). 

"Hence let us be of giant hearts, insomuch as 
all powers and promises are to our favor, whilst 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



151 



we are eno^ao-ed in the momentus work of recover- 
ing the race seduced and stolen from Eden, bemg 
carried, for lo ! these six thousand years into horri- 
ble Captivity. None other than God having said : 
*And, lo, I am with you alway even unto the end 
of the world.' (Matt. 28:20). 'I can do all 
things through Christ who strengtheneth me,' 
said also our Missionary brother who went before 
us in foreign lands and in darker days. (Phillip- 
ians, 4 :13). 

"Furthermore, seeing it has been now almost 
two thousand years since these things were said 
and done, is it not high time for our Nation, 
through whom all other nations are to be saved, 
if saved at all, was up with life and forward with 
Avills, and resolute hands to do the biddings of the 
Master, ere yet He shake down thunder and des- 
troying judgments from His abode on high, and set 
our cots of ease on fire, till slumber shall wake 
with a howl, and sleep no more, because of just 
and long-merited retribution, 

*'0, let us betake our heads and hearts, our hands 
and estates, to the immediate ino^atherinsf of this 
harvest of nations, for the ^harvest of the earth 
is ripe' as we read in Rev. 14 :15 : 'Another 
angel came out of the temple, crying with aloud 
voice to him that sat on the cloud. Thrust in thy 



152 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



sickle and reap ; for the time is come for thee to 
reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' 

"It is *not by might, nor by power, but by my 
Spirit,' saith our King (Zech. 4;6), and we 
therefore have nothing to fear. Let us take 
wings of faith, speed over the nations, and come 
down on the ends of the earth, biddmg them look 
up and live ; for deliverance is at hand through the 
Shiloh that Cometh from Mt. Zion. He speak- 
eth with firmness to all his followers : 'So shall 
my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth : 
It shall not return unto me void, but it shall ac- 
complish that which I please and prosper in the 
thing whereunto I sent it,' " (Isa. 55 ill.) 

Here he spake no more, but I saw the holy 
fire was much kindled in many breasts, and other 
tongues were waiting to utter the holy emotions 
of hearts, flowing mth the love of that kingdom 
that came down from the skies. But before an- 
other spake, they went into earnest and solemn 
prayer, led by a venerable old brother and apostle 
of truth by the name Pray- Always ; for he gave 
God thanks in every thing, and prayed night and 
day for the coming of the glorious kingdom of 
heaven. In this prayer, they used the following 
words: "Most Holy Lord God Omnipotent, 
Thou God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



153 



who giveth blessings to all liberally and upbraideth 
none, come into the midst of Little Nation Sanc- 
tified, Thine own chosen people, and establish us 
upon the hilltops of all earth, that we may shine 
in darkness, and be a light unto the Gentiles : 
through the power and grace of our Prince who 
is the Life of all souls and the Resurrection of all 
bodies. Prepare us now to stand upon all the 
earth in the midst of these nations, now soon to 
disperse, going hence, and cause us to make a 
noble confession of Christ Jesus before kings, and 
lords, and all that call on other gods ; that we, 
having the Holy Ghost within us, may be able to 
testify boldly before men, touching the Resurrec- 
tion and the hope of immortality. Prepare the 
hearts of kings to accept Thy truths ; and let faith 
go forth to throw down walls, remove mountains, 
pluck up trees, such as would hinder us and Thee, 
keeping heaven out of the souls of men. Give 
us such hunorerinii-and thirsthio; for riofhteousness, 
as will not rest day nor night, till the Stiiloti of 
men be upon Mt. Zion. Even so, come Lord 
Jesus. Come quickly. Amen and Amen." 

And it came to pass, in those days, one by the 
name of Self Denial spoke also to the Saints, 
saying: "Let us bear one another's burthens, 
praying oft for one another, 'exhorting one an- 



154 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



other, and so much the more, as ye see the day ap- 
proaching.' Heb. 10 : 25. O, is it not high time 
for all the children of Little Nation Sanctified to 
awake from sleep, buckling on the whole armor 
for the pending contest, praying, as all go, for 
the Lord of the vinej^ard to send forth laborers into 
the vineyard! Nay, more, we should oft *fast,' as 
well as pray, insomuch as many of the blessings of 
old come only by prayer, mixed with long and re- 
peated fastings. *Then, shall they fast in those 
days,' said our Absent Head and Lord to come. 
Yea, He left the example by 'fasting forty days 
in the wilderness,' (Matt. 4:2), when He 
wrestled with the devil, and threw him a long fall 
that hurts to this very day. Rememberest thou, 
how stubborn the devils were, when the stomachs 
of the Disciples were full? 'This kind,' said the 
Master, 'goeth not out but by fasting and 
prayer.' (Matt. 17:21.) Dost thou not call to 
mind, how good Cornelius of old had the gates 
of mercy fully opened to him whilst in a fastf 
(Acts 10:35.) Likewise, we get also a lesson 
from that model Church in Antioch, where 'cer- 
tain prophets and teachers' 'ministered to the 
Lord and FASTED,' till the Holy Ghost found them 
ripe for address, at which time there was a call 
for the ordination of two foreign missionaries, 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



155 



Barnabas and Saul, who is also called Paul, whose 
very ordination was conducted with fasting and 
prayer, with the solemn imposition of hands. 
(Acts 18.) 

*'Now, it came to pass, these self same mission- 
aries ordained Elders in the churches by 'fasting 
and prayer' (Acts 14 :23), having nothing of the 
slipshod style of this day, and the improved 
sleight-of-hand that now works the churches of 
God. Nay more, Paul the aged, had not out- 
grown the day of fasting, for he recommended it 
to his churches through his letters, wherein we 
find nothing idle or supercilious (I Cor. 7 :5). Our 
beloved brother, Paul, was 'in fastings often,' for 
he took them along as an holy accompaniment, 
knowing a fasting stomach is equal to seven ter- 
rors in the sight of the devil. Seeing the super- 
lative importance of our w^ork, the momentus con- 
cern of time, the imperishable rewards and hon- 
ors that await us, let us cast our names beneath 
our feet, becoming, if necessary, the very 'off- 
scouring' of creation (I Cor. 4:13), for, in so do- 
ing, we shall yet sit upon a high seat, over opposi- 
tion, conquering and to conquer, till Little Nation 
Sanctified shall have encamped upon all the strong- 
holds of Great Nation Depravity. Amen. Come, 
Lord eJesus, come quickly. Amen.'" 



156 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Now, at the close of this speech, thej having 
been fasting for a day, again prayed, and arose to 
give each other **the right hand of fellowship 
that they should go unto the heathen' ' ( Gal. 2:9), 
bearing immortal * 'treasures in earthen vessels 
that the excellency of the power may be of God and 
not of us." (II Cor. 4:7). Yea, they prayed most 
earnestly at the close of all, till they arose from 
the dew of night, and wrung their garments, fold- 
inoj their arms around each other, embracino^ and 
kissing one another with a holy kiss (Rom. 16 :16), 
ill many cases a long and final farewell, knowing 
hardships and persecutions would doubtless, at no 
distant day, gather many of them to their long re- 
wards and final rest. 

Now, the nations left the temple in lonely soli- 
tude, and went by tide and by wind to their homes 
to occupy, as before, and as they continued 
digging the earth, also building upon its face, I 
saw the Apostles of truth were in every corner of 
the globe, laboring with a high hand to establish 
the Kingdom of the Prince of Peace, for time is 
close on to an end, beins: well nio^h two thousand 
years since Prince Soul-Life made the parable of 
the fig tree interpret the future (Mark 13:28), 
and portend the end not to be very far; for as 
the leaf is not very far off from the bud, so be 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



157 



it understood and well accepted, the "ends of the 
world are come upon us." (I Cor. 10 :11.) 

From discerning the Signs of the times," 
there is a heaving in the hearts of all men, looking 
forward to a stupendous reformation, in which "a 
nation shall be born to God in a day," rolling 
back ocean darkness to uncover its millions to 
the light of day, and the golden walks of life. 

It was no tedious delay, till I saw many hearts 
deeply engaged, as when men flee from water or 
fire, climbing up Calvary's hill, as in search of 
Heaven and Immortality. So they came to its cross, 
its blood, its tomb, open and forsaken, viewing it 
all, as under the shrouded splendors of grey dawn, 
till they opened the great Book Ijing on the tomb, 
suddenly the light of understanding filled their 
darkened hearts. Written over the cross they found 
these words : "It is finished" (John 19 :30), and in 
the open tomb they f ouud these words : * ' He is not 
here, but is risen" (Luke 24 :6), and turning over 
the pages of the great Book, they read: "And if I 
be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men un- 
to me." (John 12:32). "I am the ^resurrection 
and the life" (John 11 :25.) "That true light that 
lighteth every man that cometh into the world." 
(John 1 :9.) "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 1():31.) "And 



158 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon 
the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts2 :21.) 
''If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Je- 
sus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath 
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." 
(Eomans 10 :9 . ) ' 'By grace are ye saved through 
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of 
God ; not of works, lest any man should boast." 
(Eph. 2 :8 :9.) "Not by works of righteousness, 
which we have done, but according to his mercy 
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and 
the renewing of the Holy Ghost ; which he shed 
on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior ; 
that being justified by his grace, we should be 
made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." 
(Titus 3:5-7.) 

Now as they looked through the Book, they iound 
all along through it; "Jesus, and the resurrec- 
tion" (Acts 17:18). "As witness with us of his 
resurrection." (Acts 1 :22). "Spake of the res- 
urrection of Christ." (Acts 2:31.) 

"Declared to be the Son of God with power, 
according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resur- 
rection from the dead." (Romans 1:21.) "The 
power of his resurrection." (Phil. 3:21.) and 
"Hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by 
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



159 



(I Peter 1 :3). So they soon discover the doctrine 
of Christ's kesurkection was the key note of all 
the Book, and the essence of the whole story. So 
they began to shout, to prophesy, and to come 
down from the Mount to take others by the hand, 
leading them to the "Cross," its "Blood," the 
"Open Tomb" and the Wonderful Book. 

Moreover, I saw many clearing away the for- 
ests, breaking the sward, sowhig, vast armies 
sowing the good seed of the kingdom. So also, 
many with huge waterspouts came on after them, 
who had sown over the world, which is the field. 
(Matt. 13:38 to 43). 

These were the Pauls and Apollos sowing 
and watering in the kingdom of righteousness, 
(1 Cor. 3:6). Furthermore, a spirit of darkness 
followed, sowing over the same ground, tearing it 
up, and heaving it as in mountains to outwit the 
efforts, yea, baffle, thwart, and overcome those 
who had sown good seed with clean hands, watering 
with tears and travail of soul. 

But, notwithstanding the energy of the devour- 
er, much that had been cast in the ground, by the 
hand of righteousness, sprang forth and grew ; 
even licking up the fires that were cast at their 
feet to destroy both them and it. 

Let it be known, furthermore, some that cast 



160 



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opposition abroad, as of sowing wild vines, re- 
ceived thereby a devouring poison, until their 
flesh scathed from their bones, and they died of 
the hurt they fain w^ould. have committed to 
others; even as Judas sorowfully cast back his 
hard-earned money, and fell from his rope plung- 
ing out his bowels on the earth in most graceless 
death. (Acts 1 :18). 

The price of opposition is immensely great, for 
* -Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be 
broken : but on whom it shall fall, it will grind him 
to powder." (Luke 20:18). 

Thus, I sojourned here and there in the great 
harvest fields, and beheld with much pleasure the 
gathering of many sheaves. 

As I passed along, I beheld many plunging into 
a great Fountain, a * 'fountain for sin and un- 
cleanness," (Zech. 13:1,) called Remedial: 
plunging in from a gate called Distress, and com- 
ing out a gate called Life. Blind ones plunged in 
blind and came out seeing ; deaf ones plunged in 
deaf, and came forth hearing ; lame ones plunged 
in with limbs stiff and dry as bones, and came 
forth leaping and praising ; many that had lost 
entire limbs came and plunged in from Distress 
gate and came out at Life gate with new limbs, 
all laughing with joy and new-born pleasures : 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



161 



many so foul with leprosy and other rot-flesh dis- 
eases as to stink, came plunging into Remedial 
fountain from Black gate, came out whole as an- 
gels at White gate ; sick ones were by their 
friends plunged in with a deep hand, coming out 
every one of them at Lifes' gate, on their way re- 
joicing : yea, I saw many bringing forth their 
dead, plunging them stiff and stark, headlong into 
this living Fountain, insomuch they leaped forth 
from the other side full of life and laughter; for 
both the healed and their friends laughed, danced 
and sang with joy and high praises. 

The Proprietor of this wonderful Fountain 
gladly waited upon all tlie afflicted multitudes, free 
of charge; being the "Sou of King David," but 
much greater than His father, having made the 
Fountain and given to it its healing properties. 
When he found one that thought to heal himself, 
and claim the glory. He would not let him enter 
till he forsook all his vanities ; but all others "he 
healed every one of them," (Matt. 4 :24). 

Those that were cured went forth, both of 
choice, and at the command of the Master, bring- 
ing others afflicted and distressed, till nation aftar 
nation had shared largely in this wonderful gra- 
tuity. 

Now it came to pass as one of the witnesses 



162 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



walked over a hill, he met one whose name was 
Folly and asked him where he was going. Folly 
answered; *'I am going in full search for 
the world : I am temptmg the Tempter to tempt 
me, so that with unbridled lusts I can go with a 
gush after pleasure and ambition. 
**I met one called Happiness back away, who 
offered himself, my servant in good, saying he 
would be glad to accompany me over the way to 
the camps of the AVitnesses ; certain ones of 
Little Nation Sanctified abroad in the world as 
** pilgrims and strangers;" (Heb. 11:13), yet 
seeking, continually, for opportunities to do good 
to their fellow mankind. Seeing the suavity of 
his manners and the grace of his address, I at 
first felt right sure 1 would not be able to resist 
his inducements; so I rudely tore loose from him, 
and escaped with my plans, bent on pleasure, 
wealth and ambition, as yet unhurt, by the pious 
platitudes of sober-faced Christianity. Now, on 
looking back, I saw one coming, at a goodly pace, 
going even in the same direction I was travelling, 
and though I thought to escape him by rushing 
on my steps a little, yet he soon overtook me, 
and kindly spoke to me as follows : 

Good morning, Mr. Folly; my name as you 
see is, Caution; and having met Happiness on 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



163 



the way of whom I learned certain things in 3^our 
case, I lengthened my steps a little so as to be in 
company with you, and give you words that may 
be of fine avail. Temptations, O man are sweet, and 
yielding is present gratification ;but there is a bitter 
to all this, as he that sows the seeds of folly in 
time, will in eternity, reap a prolonged harvest of 
shame." Now, 1 saw Caution was inclined to talk 
much, but Folly cast filth of manners upon 
him, descending to ignoble epithets in his speech, 
playing the churl in general. After that I saw 
one by the name of Wisdom, seeking to accom- 
l^any Folly, that he might fashion some good for 
his soul ; but Folly never halted, nor turned his 
eyes in that direction. So I watched the case 
and after Folly had traveled a good while to him- 
self, he looked back, and seeing others, fancied 
to himself they were not of a sort with Happi- 
ness, Caution, and Consistency, who had beseiged 
him with much ado about his soul, and future 
good. So he halted, and waited for them, and ere 
yet he saw their names, he was pleased to hear 
them make some cheap remark about Consistency 
and his comrades, so he stood firm, till they were 
fully in his last tracks. But when he saw their 
names were * 'Misery" and ''Destruction" he 
had a heavy thought of pulling off of the track. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



making them broad room to pass ; but Misery and 
Destruction smiled and said it was a burlesque 
and meant nothing. So he tamely submitted, 
and chimed in with their talk ; which was of 
things in general, avoiding especially all serious 
matters, till they effectually charmed Folly, keep- 
ing him for days, by reason of "covetous conver- 
sation" and polished rehearsals of fluent pleas- 
ures. But suddenly, one day, whilst all was glee 
and tipped in golden fancies. Misery got on one 
side, and Destruction, on the other side of Folly, 
intoxicated with a flow of carnal pleasures, and 
feigning great socitibility, drew cunningly very 
close to hin], till lo ! they seized him fast, carry- 
ing him down their pit. I heard him make a pit- 
eous wail as he went down, but after that saw 
and heard no more of him. 

So it is *'he that findetb his life shall lose it" 
(Matt. 10 :39) ; for gain-getting, pleasure-seek- 
ing, fame-pursuing, run in direct opposition to 
the gospel and ripen into folly ; as in the case of 
the prospered "lord' ' that tore down his barns to 
build greater, saying, " Soul , thou hast much goods 
laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, 
drink and be merry ; But God said unto him, 
Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required 
of thee : then whose .^hall those things be, which 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



165 



thou hast provided?" (Luke 12:19,20). Whilst 
the * 'fear of the Lord is the beginning of wis- 
dom," Solomon says; ''Fools despise wis- 
dom," (Prov. 1 :7), and "die for want of knowl- 
edge." (Prov. 10:21). Now as Folly resisted 
Happiness, Caution and Wisdom, so it is as the 
wise man hath long since proclaimed, "Fools 
make a mock at sin," (Prov. 14 :9) and will con- 
sequently, at last, take their position with the 
foolish virgins who will go plunging through the 
long, dark night of eternity, with lamps but no 
"oil" in them; a Mock equipment indeed, but 
one of their own choosing. 



166 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER TWELVE. 

Now after traveling a long while through peril 
and fatigue, some of the Witnesses entered a tract 
of country called God-Hate Valley, which is 
right in the very heart of Great Nation De- 
pravity : entering it at sundown, and at midnight 
they heard strange voices and dismal moanings 
producing a reign of terror that simply beggars 
description . 

At sunrise, instead of finding bracing morn, 
they were quite languid from a prevailing sick- 
ishness of the air, and a clammy sweat on the 
earth. The heat of the sun was intolerable, and 
brought from the ground a stench so suffocating, 
many reeled over as they would walk, and lie 
wallowing in the loathsome skum spewed from 
the earth. Deep caverns roaring with the war 
and commotion of their inmates; pits emitting 
smoke ; bitter waters ; tremblings of earth ; with 
mutterings from beneath ; made dismay dismal. 
Huge giants would go abroad in the land appear- 
ing and disappearing suddenly ; omens of evil : 
and phenomena of distress; till horror became 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



167 



HORRIBLE. Many of the miserable inhabitants 
would often die suddenly, and for want of care 
were left to rot in their own beds ; in these times 
also, the very air would clot, and fall to the 
ground in drops of poison, that even removed veg- 
etation wherever touched therewith. 

The miserable inhabitants were sots in filth ; 
and multiplied as weeds, each generation growing 
worse. Sons had mothers to wife, and fathers 
their daughters ; till to one was born an offspring 
having one foot ; and to another was given a child 
with a rotten eye. They ate one another as canni- 
bals, and drank human blood, as wine. Angels 
of mercy that visited them from heaven stood 
upon their wings ready to rise above outrao^e, as 
thus they plead with the wretches. So, also, 
were there enormous Night Hawks that under the 
cover o^ darkness, would swoop down and carry 
off a child, crying and screaming, as it soared 
through the gloomy stillness of night, fainter 
and fainter still, till its voice was heard no more. 
Now as they went abroad, they came nigh unto 
a Mountain possessed by wild beasts, thundering 
in their deep lairs ; and screaming in battle, till 
nature stood in awe of the mountain covered with 
horrid forms. This is Mt. Blasphemy; and the 
wild beast, represents the oaths of men and 



168 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



women ; for the people in this Valley were in 
league with hell, sat upon the laps of devils, to 
eat lies as the sweetest luxury of life. 

Furthermore, they came to a great Lake that 
seems to labor of pain ; ever and anon its great 
sea Monsters would come panting to the surface for 
breath and to renew life. Next they came to a Hill 
covered with most beautiful flowers of exquisite 
taste, insomuch the fragrance thereof, drew many 
to its walks ; to sit upon its tempting seats, and 
under its cooling arbors. This is Mt. Tempta- 
tion ; and sweet as the flowers were, they are so 
poisonous^ even their breath swooned many to 
death, whilst sitting within their deadly range. 
They would talk as with an ecstasy, which lasting 
for hours, would lull into drowsiness, finally end- 
ing in excruciating agonies, followed by slow and 
and torpid death. The hill was hollow, covering 
a deep pit into which were thrown the carcasses 
of all these miserable victims dying thereon. 
Now, these Witnesses traveled all through this 
valley of God-hate, wondering much at the 
strange and horrid sights that everywhere greeted 
their eyes and shocked their sensibilities. So 
as they passed along, they beheld a vast Kiver 
whose waters wrinkled, waved and lashed with 
poisonous Snakes ; venomous Serpents ; deadly- 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



169 



fanged Reptiles ; as well as devouring Scorpions, 
vieing one with another in contest, that oft des- 
troyed one another. These serpents ascended 
the streams of the valley, crossing also from 
river to river, and from creek to creek, to the 
no little annoyance of the citizens of this pest- 
afflieted, and devil-haunted dominion. 

Painful to the eyes, and to the ears were all 
these Witnesses beheld ; for their native home was 
an Eden of delights, whilst this was a hell to 
them ; the perfect opposite to what was their na- 
ture and joy. Again, they beheld another of the 
dread evils of this sunken territory, which was a 
great Image covering many acres of land, large 
exceeding, and clinging to it were many, many 
thousands of souls, holding to it with their feet, 
with their hands, with their eyes, with their legs 
and arms, their heads and their hearts, minds, 
souls and all, holding to it day and night, 
Sunday and Monday, well or sick : for they loved 
the Image more than they loved any thing else. 
Be this Image what it may, it was evidently a 
god to those who gave it all their time and 
thoughts. They held to it like ticks to a dog; 
till full, absorbed, and converted into same kind 
and sort with the Image, they dropped from their 
hold, and came down dead at its base. When 



170 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



they dropped (for the rich ones got very high,) 
their bones stuck in the ground, their bowels 
gushed forth, and they lay a stinking heap about 
the base of the Idol they loved. 

Now all between the fearful God-Hate Yalley 
and the uplifted plain of Mt. Holiness was a 
fiery waste of country called Iiupassible; for 
there was no passway from God-Hate Valley up 
to the pure air, and the enjoyable estates of this 
Mt. Holiness country ; for there rained eternal 
fires and fearful hails out of heaven. There were 
also set in the way betAveen them, vast sand plains 
where storms ceased not, day or night ; great 
wind auo^ers liftino: mountains of sand into the 
air, till Sand World and Wind World roared with 
the desolation of perpetual storms. Beyond this 
and still lower down was a fearful wilderness of 
rocks and mountains that opened with earth- 
quakes, jetting spouts of fire high up into the sky. 
In the midst of these was also located a deep 
forest, clothed to the top of the trees with weeds 
and vines; poisonous as death to all living beings, 
except the monstrous serpents that swung from 
the tops of the trees, or coiled at their base. 
Next was an immense Swamp, full of Dragons, 
fighting till the deep seas, in which they roamed, 
were red with blood. Now far out in the midst 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



171 



of all these, was a vast river whose waters shot 
forth, as though compressed by the weight of the 
whole earth ; lifting great rocks into the air 
brought up through gurgling spouts, belching 
from beneath. So take it all together, nothing 
is so iiMPOSSiBLE, as for a soul to escape out of 
God-Hate Yalley, and occupy by its own artifice, 
a place on Mt Holiness. For with all other im- 
pediments, there was yet this one more: a yawn- 
ing Chasm, deep, dark and fathomless, the seclusion 
and den of monster' spirits: these, as anything 
would assay to go over in any wise, would dart 
up as winged Dragons that roar with thunder, 
and go so fast they burn the air to ashes as they 
go. And what was stranger still, and the worst 
of all Ijupassibles, was, no one living in God- 
Hate Valley wished to live anywhere else ; or go 
to the celestial heights of Mt. Holiness. So 
WILL NOT become as bad or worse than cannot. 
"Men love darkness rather than light" (John 3 ; 
19), and *Ye will not come unto me that ye 
might have life' (John 5 ; 40), explains the whole 
secret of man's long stay from the city of God 
on Mt. Holiness, where all is life, and life is peace. 

Now the witnesses began to teach the people 
of God-Hate Valley, that all these troubles were 
upon them because of their sins. 



172 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



They told them all about the Mt. Holiness 
Country that lay away beyond and above them, 
and assured them that none of these troubles, 
found in God-Hate Valley, were to be found up in 
that Mt. Holiness Country. 

Furthermore, there was a wonderful river, 
breaking forth from the midst of the mountain 
which caused a great change in all countries through 
which it passed ; and that the King and Pro- 
prietor of all that fair region, had long purposed 
to run the river right through all this low and 
pest-afflicted valley. 

Now it came to pass in those days, one by the 
name of St. Thrust stood up to speak to the peo- 
ple that dwelt in all that reign of suffering and 
distress. Said he : ''Your wills must be broken ; 
for ye are all Haters of God, and will not do right. 
No Truth, in reference to this matter, can possibly 
be made pleasant to you. All I can say on this 
grave subject will be but to thrust the burning 
dagger of truth into your every soul. Your liv- 
ing hates must be killed by a 'two-edged sword' ; 
for LAW is the strength of sin, and the command- 
ment coming off Mt. Holiness will yet slay all the 
people of God-Hate Valley. Your sins put poison 
into the flowers of Mt. Temptation ; your sins cover 
Mt. Blasphemy with raging beasts, that make the 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



173 



land tremble with the thunder of their conflict. 
As a judgment upon you, this river is filled with 
SNAKES, that give the land no rest day nor night. 
Yon laborins: Lake, that is red with the blood of 
warring beasts, is a curse set in the land because 
of the sins of the people. O, children of misfor- 
tune and death, come with us ! and plead with a 
Prince, called Mercy, who now reigns on Mt. 
Holiness, and is the Judge of all that in this 
Valley dwell. 

The whole land is his, and whom he will, he 
blesses." 

So, I beheld the Witnesses as they went with 
much ado of sorrow all through this Valley of 
God-Hate, which is right in the heart of Great 
Nation Depravity. The Prince of Life went 
before this, into this low ground, passing all 
through it, and condemning all its wa3^s and likes. 
So the Witness, for times and seasons prolonged, 
went up and down this awful God-Hate Valley, 
preaching, praying, singing, and exhorting its 
Avretched denisons to Holiness of life and heart, 
, till lo ! and behold ! O wondrous to tell ! I saw the 
breaking forth of a great River of Life, as it 
gushed frr>m the broad base of Mt. Holiness 
which stood high in the far distance beyond. O ! 
the roll of its waves, and the unobstructed rush 



174 FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 

of its "Waters," as they gushed onward toward 
God-Hate Valley ! 

This vast, swelling, sweeping River rolled its 
unchecked and irresistible waves, right over all 
these fearful "Impassii^les" that had forever 
shut off the people from happiness, cleanliness 
and health. 

So nothing could stop this gushing river pour- 
ing its tremendous currents in the straightest 
direction toward God-Hate Valley, which entered 
at the upper end of the same; and, as it rapidly 
rolled on down its long broad territory, swept 
out its old River of Lies ; swept away the Lake 
of Monsters, which is groanings of conscience ; 
swept away Mt Blasphemy, Mt. Temptation and 
the accursed IMAGE of "Covetousness which is 
Idolatry" — all filths, sicknesses, and miseries, 
it washed away and floated them down into the 
Dead Sea forever and forever. Furthermore, I 
saw the inhabitants of God-Hate Valley, swim- 
ming, bathing and diving, with shouts of joy on 
their lips, as ever and anon they rest for a time 
in Life-boats that floated gracefully over the 
bosom of this wonderful River. Ah more, as I 
beheld the lively scene, verdant islands rose to 
its surface, and stood forth with peoples and 
towns ; whilst vast plains stretched up and down 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



175 



the banks of the health-giving stream, till the 
joy of all earth held high carnival, where misery 
and death had pre-arranged to abide forever. 

And I looked and, lo and behold ! Mt.Zfon was 
established in their midst and her Temple was 
full of the praises of the people as they went to 
and fro, up and down the land. Also the climate 
and the productions of Mt. Holiness were given to 
the people, for the turning of the River of Life, 
in through that way, made vast changes on all the 
face of the country and in the habits of all the 
people. O what ships of store spread their sails 
over this broad and navigable stream, supplying 
the people with all the dainties belonging to the 
new life they had thus been enabled to begin; till 
the people thought, or talked of but little else 
than the mysterious changes, produced by the 
turning of the River of Life in upon their hither- 
to deplorable land, but now a desert filled with 
the glory of God. 



176 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 



Now behold, as I mused upon the flow of 
events, I saw a man of imposing appearance and 
strength, bound fast to a great mill and forced to 
grind all the days of his life. He was much ex- 
posed, having neither hat, coat, nor shoes ; eat- 
ing, as he was forced to, the offals of pots and 
kitchens, and sleeping whilst standing, for want 
of better care. His fastenings seemed to be per- 
manent and of most obstinate hold; however, 
after years of base submission, one day when all 
alone, he began to examine more closely the tex- 
ture of his ropes, and the links of his chains, 
when lo ! he discovered that untwisting his rope 
somewhat slackened all its fibers, so he could 
easily pick it apart ; and at the same time his 
chain, though well made and seeming stout, was 
of such material, he could break it by vigorously 
throwing it on his prison floor. Now when he 
come to examine the lock of his prison, behold ! 
it was an artificial lock, and not real ; so he 
opened his prison door — for knowing the utter 
delusion of his prisoner, the keeper had long 
since decided his surrender was final. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



177 



Furthermore, when he came farther along the 
way, he trembled to find guards well armed, 
wherein he was certain his stay in bondage was 
prolonged; but lo ! as he approached them, they 
were simply mock guards, statues and pictures ; 
so he fled in safety to his own country with timely 
escape, after long years of needless toil. Ignor- 
ance, Delusion and Unbelief had bound him ; for 
this is the only hold the Devil is allowed to have 
against a soul in the face of the Prince of Little 
Nation Sanctified ; notwithstandino^ he seems to 
lead his vassals * 'captive at his will" (II Tim. 
20 ; 26). Yea, lies, error and unbelief are slack- 
twisted ropes, brash-mettled chains and artificial 
locks, and mock guards ; for centuries ago, One 
was revealed from the skies who broke every 
fetter that hath actual strength, and set at liberty 
all the sons of men, if only they will believe it, 
avow liberty, and at once move from the lurch 
of a powerless foe. The King of the Skies come 
down to ''destroy the works of the Devil" (IJohn 
3 ; 8), ignorance, error, sin and lies, and since 
that time, all that will may escape, from their 
dungeons and pits ; for all walls, gates, and locks 
of confinement are forever set aside, till millions 
in base subjection to-day, might as well shake 
themselves, and be free of all that fastens them 



178 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



to the dungeon floor, the prison walls, and the 
grinding mill of Satan. As God loosed Samson 
from his mill, putting the life of all enemies in 
his hands, till in one crash of ruin, wrought by 
his hands whilst in playful rest, so doth he de- 
liver souls from the dominion of sin (Judges 16; 
21-30). Now all this occurred in the city of 
Unbelief, the metropolis of great Nation De- 
pravity, where is Satan's seat (Rev. 2 : 13), and it 
created a stir and a fearful commotion, lewd fel- 
lows of the baser sort (Acts 17 ; 5), instigating 
insurrection against the Witnesses who disclosed 
the fact of much needless bondage, until many 
in the great city of Captivity, tread upon their 
sand ropes breaking them and escaping. Now 
there is very nigh this city of Captivity, as was 
close to Jerusalem of old, a vast wilderness, 
called Desolation Swamp. In this wilderness 
roamed a huge beast, as animals oft do in the 
parks of great cities, prodigious in size, being 
fed upon the fat of the swamp . His legs were 
like beams; his hoofs as iron balls, so that there- 
w^ith he could thrash a tree to powder by his fear- 
ful blows. His entire form was covered over 
with small buttons of horn, as scales ; his eyes 
were front and rear ; his teeth, as a sledge, were 
able to grind rock and iron to dust. He had upon 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



179 



his forehead a tuft of feathers, and wings on eacli 
side made of huge quills, hard as steel and sharp 
like swords, so he could either w^alk or fly; and 
as he would fly, his enormous weight and strength 
made his wings of swords hiss and whistle the 
air, as thundering whirlwinds ; for it would roar 
as fire wherever he passed through it, so tearful 
was the operation of his flight. His tail was as 
a huge serpent, having a sting in the end thereof 
so dreadful as to slay a lion at one thrust. 

He picked his teeth with the ribs of a man and 
fed upon human souls, as a jackal does upon ants. 
This monstrous monstrosity had a name ; and its 
name was Unbelief. 

Now it came to pass when the whole land stood 
in dread of this monster, as of old, when David 
a boy, slew Goliath a giant, so a child went into 
the swamp to slay a Beast. His name is called 
Faith, and he smote the Monarch of All, which 
is called Unbelief ; for the beast greatly feared 
him, knowing he had no power to stand before 
him, though he had slain all other beasts. Then 
"there was great joy in that city," (Acts 8 :8)for 
their captives were being set free, and the terri- 
ble Beast of the wilderness w^as removed. **The 
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath 
anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor ; he 



180 



FREEINa THE CAPTIVES. 



hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach 
DELIVERANCE to the captives, and recovering of 
sight to the bhnd. to set at liberty them that are 
bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the 
Lord." (Luke 4: 18,19). Moreover, as the 
Witnesses were in a ship crossing one of the 
great oceans, they came to what was called 
Floating Island, and there for a season 
sojourned. They found the people very cred- 
ulous, yea, superstitious in the extreme, and 
and withal remarkably ignorant ; but possessing 
somewhat of the milk of human kindness, giving 
room in tlieir houses and streets to the children 
of Little Nation Sanctified. They believed their 
Island was afloat at sea, and always had been, 
but inasmuch as its dirt would sink when drop- 
ped into water, some submitted one thing and 
some another as to why their island floated. 
Some claimed it was hollow : others thought its 
underpart was of lighter substance than the up- 
per, whilst a larger school than either of the 
above, insisted it was all a matter of fate^ fortui- 
tous, haphazard, and indefinable „ They were 
free to allow all sorts of faiths, theories, and 
conclusions; and that on all sorts of subjects. 
Incoherent in science, and unconfined by philoso- 
phy, what they believed in religion to be thus and 



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181 



SO, made it so ; for in neither education nor faith 
did it concern them whether effect followed cause 
or cause followed effect. They slept much, 
dreaming most luxuriant dreams, extracting also 
from their copious ignorance an immense store of 
bliss. Also the normal condition of their mind 
and soul doubtless had something to do with their 
physical developments and deformities, for the 
land abounded in stranf^e but interestino: freaks 
of body and mind, some of which were prodigies 
of wonder to all mankind, all coming as they 
would expound it, from chaos of chance. Here, 
all was bedlam of mind, and anarchy of thought. 
Floating Island was inhabited by Fate Nation, 
governed by King Fortuitous, whose god was 
Chance, whose philosophy was Happen-So ; whose 
religion was Caprice. Hence, freaks in nature 
were spontaneous, and incongruities were natural 
productions, belonging to its state of casualty. 
Am on 2: them was to be found, according; to tlieir 
legend^ a Sleeping Wonder, a man above fifty 
years of age, and had, to no one's knowledge, 
been yet fully awake, though watched day and 
night by his friends. He was of noble look, and 
his face beamed as with intelligence, his habits 
regular, eating at his semi-wakeful spells, making 
a kind of talk when seemingly aroused, though 



182 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



never truly awake. Though he opened his eyes, 
he was never able to concentrate them oa any 
object ; and so with his hearing, in most cases 
seeming to be deaf, though occasionally he evi- 
dently heard with some kind of indistinction. 
He was not acute in his feelings, though sensi- 
ble to pain, seeming almost at times to manifest 
emotions of comfort and pleasure. Thunder 
startled him, and sweet music charmed his atten- 
tion as nothing else could. Yet as a babe sucks, 
frets, or laughs in its sleep, so he carried all his 
habits up into his sleeping manhood. Many ef- 
forts had been made to arouse him from dreamy 
existence to life and full sense ; and that by best 
skill, and at great expense, yet he slept right on 
through the years of his life. All skill and pa- 
tience had been exhausted , and hopeless years had 
been flowing by, when suddenly the long sought 
remedy was by some mysterious revelation, hap- 
pily discovered unto them and him. A martial 
parade was firing cannons, beating drums, blow- 
ing fifes, interlined with a chorus of many mighty 
human voices, singing national airs, while in the 
midst of all pealed a loud blast of April thunder, 
from a golden cloud hanging in a deep blue sky. 
The scented and sizzling lightning being at the 
same time a pungent reek inh'dled to quicken sense 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



183 



and shapen life, when lo ! suddenly the man awoke 
into life ; leaped from his bed as into new exist- 
ence, and danced for very joy ; singing, praising, 
talking, declaring to the people all his former ex- 
istence had been a stupid dream ; but now every- 
thing seemed real as animate being ever expe- 
rienced. The people wept for joy, that his spell 
had been broken, so that afterward his sleep was 
refreshing, and yielded at its time to the gentle 
pressure of day. 

Then answered the Witnesses to this long kept 
and oft i^epeated story of these superstitious hea- 
thens : *'Tn all the realm of Great Nation De- 
pravity, we find something very much like this 
heathen legend just told us. The thunders of 
Mt. Sinai alarm the dead, whilst the sweet music 
of Zion will charm the soul into real ecstasies of 
life. No m2i\i is truly at himself tiW profoundly 
CONVERTED from all former ways and likes, and 
'made a new creature' by an Omnipotent law of 
Transfer, fully explained by the Witnesses of Lit- 
tle Nation Sanctified. O Floating Island, Fate 
Nation, and King Fortuitous, your legend of a 
sleeping man staggers us; but our people of Lit- 
tle Nation Sanctified will yet ask of you to be- 
lieve mightier things than that, based, however, 
upon the most indubitable Word of the Maker 
of us all. 



184 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



'*Nay more, it is in our line of experience to see 
men dead (in sin) come to real life, wakened 
by vast thunders from Mt. Sinai, and charmed by 
a million voices that stood on Mt. Sinai to sing to 
the nations, whose ears were quickened by the awful 
voice that roared from the thundering summit 
of Sinai, quaking with the terrible wrath of God. 

*'SiN has so deranged the whole universe of man- 
kind, through ^^?^om?ice, it gives to TTiEE, as choice 
traditional literature, what is a stern and start- 
ling fact in the movements of our Kingdom of 
Grace." 

Now, not long after this, they overtook another 
story of a man, whose teeth, and nails of toes and 
hands were pure gold. He was indolent, vain, 
a great glutton, and finally fell to general lascivi- 
ousness. He trimmed his nails once a week, and 
sold the trimmings for a subsistence, and such 
pleasures as he could buy. As his lusts multiplied 
with his vanities, he soon found it convenient to 
pull one of his teeth, and sell it ; for, like Judas, 
he was in a straight for thirty pieces of silver, so 
afterwards he sold another; for the trimmings of 
his finger nails and his toes were insufficient ; 
and soon after this, he began to lay a 
mortgage upon others, till the mortgage lifted 
one, and then another and another, for he 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



185 



became ambitious for a show, as well as whorish 
and fond of drink. One day, in the run of an 
accident, he broke a limb ; so it was there])y dis- 
covered his hones were also gold ; which at once 
made him of great value in ''Troy Weight." 
This being known on the Island, vessels, lying at 
wharf, watched hj night, lurking al)road for him 
till he was soon kidnapped, and taken a slave 
whilst drunken in a house of ill-fame. After his 
o^reat intrinsic wealth had l)rought him into bond- 
age, he, after years of servitude and hardships, 
offered his master a limb for his freedom. Being 
refused, he finally offered him two limbs and 
would have parted with a leg and an arm; but 
the brutal Nabob kept his slave of bullion, to get 
his work, and the trimmings of his toes and fin- 
gers. After this, his master fed him well, and 
let him rest, hoping thereby to increase the 
growth of his nails, as well as to prolong the life 
of his bullion slave ; but it reversed itself, for he 
lost his health, and labor, as of old, became his 
only cure, throwing the poor slave in the fall of 
a sore disappointment, for he loved to eat, and 
hated to work. He constantly regretted his 
bones being gold, and would have gladly swap- 
ped them for dry sticks ; for his valuable skeleton 
filled his life with troubles out of measure, and 



186 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



sorrows over limit. Now it came to pass, there 
fell a sore strain on the lofty pride of this Na- 
bob ; and to meet the severe exigency, he bound 
his shive and amputated a hmb for its gold bones, 
to repair his dissolving finances, and set him 
again to the face of his former courtiers. But it 
was not many years till a heavier crush fell upon 
the extravagant Slave Dealer than ever ; so there 
was a plot to hill the slave and get his bones, ribs 
and skull. He overheard the horrid plot at the 
hour of midnio^ht, and went tiemblino^ throuo^h 
the days that remained, in view of his coming 
fate. When the time was mature and the day at 
hand, they got into a private yacht, and set sail 
for a lone and desolate Island, to do the deed of 
darkest hell ; when lo ! an angry surge, as two 
waves met upon a crest, upset the fated boat, 
spilling Nabob, his Creditor, the servant that 
steered the voyage,with the doomed slave, a//, out 
into the ocean together. Now it came to pass, 
the Nabob and his Creditor were so heavily armed, 
they sank in a moment of time down into the 
mighty deep of the ocean ; but the doomed slave 
being tied with a rope to the yacht was saved from 
sinking, and soon was enabled to rescue his fellow 
servant by means of liislong oar and rope, so they 
manned the boat in gallant safety to the coasts 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



187 



of the native Island of the liberated captive. 

Whereupon the Witnesses responded to this 
*'Legend" of <'Fate" Nation, ruled by "Chance" 
god, in the following words: "O King Fortui- 
tous, if this Island floats, and unreliable Fate is 
god , then a man of thine may have had 'gold' 
for bones, and a bullion scalp to hold his brains." 
Now, remembering that Floating Island was in- 
habited by Fate Nation, whose King was Fortui- 
tous, whose god was Fate ; whose philosophy was 
Casualty, and whose religion was Caprice, noth- 
ino^ was to be wondered at. So the followino; is 
by them also fully relied on as true. At sunrise, 
was a new born babe, that sucked and grew, and 
in less than one hour, it was out of its mother's 
lap, running, talking, and able to read. At nine 
o'clock in the morning, his beard was well grown, 
and he was as a young man of twenty one years 
standing six feet in his skin. He pushed out upon 
busy life, married, and at twelve o'clock in the 
day, had a large family consisting of wife and 
children. At three in the afternoon, his children 
had children, and he and his hoary headed wife, 
sat very much bowed over, the one, in the corner, 
and the other in the old farm-house rockins^ chair. 
At six in the evening, he died in dotage, full of 
years, honor, and wealth. 



188 



FREEINa THE CAPTIVES. 



Then answered the Prophets of Little Nation 
Sanctified to one another : "We know sin breeds 
ignorance and hes ; but the lies of superstition 
are not so bad as the hes of education ; whilst 
traditional falsehood, that has the Bible Jiut fast 
together, and stamped under its tyrannical foot, 
is the meanest lie of Earth." 

But the Witnesses, by and by, after clever ac- 
quaintance, succeeded in calling a council in the 
Kino^'s court to consider the bearino^ of relioions 
on the government of a people. The king as- 
sembled a concourse of people with many of his 
Lords, and of his chief officers not a few, al- 
lowing the Witnesses to present their faith, and 
its effects upon men and governments. So the 
KING arose from his bench to address the meet- 
ing : "The matter in hand is to make a further 
advance into the doctrines of the soul, what are 
its best meats, and to w^hat extent does the soul- 
question, affect the government of a kingdom. 
We, as a people, are clever to all progress, rest- 
ing firm, however, in the faith of our fathers and 
the god of diversified chance and fate. Our 
Island has been floating for thousands of years, 
even since the days in which a floating tradition 
tells, Cain and his family found it, one eve, lying 
along their coast, and came aboard, not knowing 



FREEING THE CAPTIV ES. 



189 



it would likely float off during the night ; so by 
fate settling our rich acres to this day. We be- 
lieve all things are at random, and have been 
hard worshippers of the god of Chance, holding, 
however, to this remarkable propertv, (and we 
confidently defy opposition to our faith) that 
whatever one believes to be right, to him it is 
right ; and any error, (if there is such a thing) 
when endorsed by a soul, and called truth, it at 
once becomes truth to him ; till he may have de- 
lio^hted in callinsf it a lie ; and then to him it is a 
lie, to all intents and purposes, changing back 
and forth many times in life, if it may make him 
happy so to do. Now, if the Apostles of truth 
from Little Nation Sanctified, that are in our 
midst, have things better, and on a surer founda- 
tion than these which we have just rehearsed, 
wiih all her heart let Little Nation Sanctified 
break her mind to us on all these things." 

Whereupon he took his seat to hear. Then the 
oldest of the Missionaries by the name of "Let 
there be Light," at once proceeded to shine in 
darkness, and to dissipate myths and cunningly 
devised fables. He said: *'0, Crowned Head, 
and all thy children, long has been our stay in 
thy dominion, as well as pleasant ; for thy face 
and the countenance of thy people, have shown 



190 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



US a welcome cheer and a hearty allowance. Our 
nation hath brought, to give to this nation, that 
that is better than gold, yea, than fina gold, with 
much glittering silver," (Prov. 16:16). 

Now, at that saying, the covetous and credulous 
king arose to his feet, and stood face to face with 
the missionaries ; for he loved gold and pleasure, 
with all his subjects; and the idea of a gift so 
rich, made the Witnesses most acceptable guests. 

king! Silver and gold have I none but such 
as I have give I thee.' (Acts 3:6.) Now, 
then we are embassadors from a higher court 
to this, and are the personal representatives of 
Him who is king of kings and Lord of lords." 
(II Cor. 5 :20 ; and II Tim. 6 :15.) So seeing, the 
king and his hosts had an ear to listen. The em- 
bassadors at once fell into the words of Paul in 
midst of Mar's Hill in Athens: **I perceive, O 
Eng Fortuitous, and the children of the God of 
Fate, that in all things ye are too superstitious ; for 
as we have passed all through your realm, every- 
where we have found altars with this inscription : 
TO THE GOD OF FATE, whom, therefore, 
ye ignorantly worship ; him declare I unto you. 
God that made the world and all things therein, 
seeing that He is Lord of Heaven and earth, and 
dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



191 



is worshipped with men's hands as though he 
needed anything, seeing he giveth to all, life and 
breath, and all things, and hath made of one blood 
all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the 
earth, and hath determined the times before ap- 
pointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that 
they should seek the Lord if haply they might 
feel after him, though he be not far from every 
one of us ; for in him we live and move and have 
our being, for we are his offspring. Forasmuch 
then as we are the offspring of God we ought 
not to think that the God-head is like to gold or 
silver or stone graven by art and man's device. 
And the times of this ignorance God winked at, 
but now, O king, with all thy subjects he com- 
mandeth all men everywhere to repent : because 
he hath appointed a day in which he will judge 
the world in righteousness by that man whom he 
hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance 
to all men in that that he hath raised him from 
the dead."— Acts 17 :22. 

Thus the words of *'Let There Be Light" 
wrought the King no little ; and utterly unset- 
tled some that stood by and heard, yet was the 
king pressed to make an answer, and so he did as 
follows: ''Whilst your religion is truth to you, 
because you believe it, it is a lie to me because I 



192 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



do not believe it, inasmuch as truth (so-called) is 
as fancy makes it, and therefore aUogether arbi- 
trary^ since there is so such thing as absolute 
truth or fixed principles ; but to the contrary, hke 
our island floating about here and there, taking 
things by fate, fixing or removing them by 
chance, causing or preventing as by casualty, 
these things are so because we sincerely so thinJc. 
Answer me if thou canst." Then said the Wit- 
nesses: "O king, we will put our feet in the 
shoes of thy faith, and therein answer both thee 
and thy god. Thou believest Cain settled this 
Island. We believe Cdin never saw the main 
ocean ;and consequently did not settle this Island, 
therefore it is so because ive believe it to be so ! 

"Furthermore, *if any man speak let him 
speak as the oracles of God ; if any man minis- 
ter, let him do it as of the abihty which God 
giveth : that God in all things may be glorified 
through Jesus Christ ; to whom be praise and do- 
minion forever.' (1 Pet. 4:11). Therefore, we 
speak, O King, more boldly to thee, and to all 
thy children, for the days of ignorance have an 
end. There is no such thing as fate ; no such 
thing as effect without cause ; no such thing as 
HAPPEN ; no such thing as chance ; no such thing 
as VOLUNTARY TRUTH ; no such thing as a float- 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



193 



ing island; no such thing as chance god; no 
such a thing as a king in Fortuity; no such 
thing as a truth changing ; no such thing as 
one's sincerity making an error, a truth; even 
if we did not know this, be sacred with us, O 
King, for we are in the shoes of thy faith, which 
claimeth, all a man believes, is so, simply he- 
cause he believed it to be so. Therefore we have 
reduced to nothing the whole estate of thy be- 
liefs ; and being of fables, fancies, and myths, 
thy people are the better prepared to accept, this 
day, that "righteousness, which exalts a nation" 
(Prov. 14 ;34). 

"Thou hast said, O! King, what a man believes 
to be so is so — hence thou art altoc^ether wrong: 
in the doctrines of thy people, because we believe 
them to be false.'" 

Here the King grew impatient and adjourned 
the session abruptly ; seeing the sagacious saints, 
though poor, were vastly his peer in the art of 
uttering truth. 

So it came to pass the witnesses compassed the 
entire island, teaching the superstitious wretches, 
rebuking their supreme ignorance, "declaring the 
wisdom of God even the m3^stery which hath been 
hid from ages and from generations, but now is 
made manifest to his saints, to whom God would 



194 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



make known what is the riches of the glory of 
this mystery among the Gentiles, Avhich is Christ 
in them the hope of glory, whom we preach, 
warning every man, and teaching every man, in 
all wisdom, that we may present every man per- 
fect in Christ Jesus." (Col. 1:26-28). Nor 
did they stay their faithful efforts till the people, 
enlightened, stepped out of their vain superstition, 
and became enamored of grace ; as the isles of the 
sea, accepting Christ, formed a confluent light, 
that shed gladsome day, where pagan night had 
sat, since Eden's evening lamps expired to loom 
and glow no more. Also, in my dream, I beheld a 
man passing a thundering mountain by the name 
of Mt. Sinai; "for Sinai was altogether on a 
smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in a 
fire, and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke 
of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked exceed- 
ingly." (Ex. 19:18.) The man that passed by 
it was a great sinner ; so his sins took fire within 
him, for the mount was all alive, and seemed to 
have the mastery over men. (Rev. 7:11.) Poor 
soul ! How he suffered and with industrious 
haste sought for ease ! He plunged into the deep 
mud of human reliefs, but it soon dried on him — 
he was so exceedingly hot. Next, he dashed him- 
self from a high rock into the ocean, and dived. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



195 



with his hissing fires through its parting waves. 
Till lo ! and behold ! he set the seas on fire. Then 
he threw himself up into the air, for his distracting 
pains caused him to handle himself with terrific 
strengrth. Then all the air was set aflame as he 
screamed and roared of fervent pain. Between 
his yells and paroxisms of distress, he would often 
say : *'The soul that sins it shall die: I have sown 
the winds, and hence reap this whirlwind of de- 
struction." (Hos. 8:7.j After compassing sea 
and land in a vain search for relief, one day, con- 
versing with himself, touching unsubdued miser- 
ies, he was overheard b}^ one from Little Nation 
Sanctified, as he cried the following: "Even to- 
day is my complaint bitter ; my stroke is heavier 
than my groaniugs. O that I knew where I might 
find him, that I might come even to his seat! I 
would order my cause before him, and fill my 
mouth with arguments." (Job 23; 2,3.) Then 
said the witness to hiui : "Let the wicked for- 
sake his way and the unrighteous man his 
thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and 
he will have mercy upon him and to our God, for 
he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6, 7.) 
"Hear, O man, and He will save 3^ou ! The Jaw, 
which is the^re and strength of Mount Sinai, is 
a * school-master to bring us unto Christ.' " (Gal. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



3 :24.) Come away, dying man, from the smoke 
and destruction of Mount Sinai, and hasten yon- 
der to Mount ZiON, for "there shall come out of 
Mount Zion a deliverer," (Rom. 11:26), for all 
in thy fix, calling loud to them as they approach, 
saying, "Come unto me all je that labor and are 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 
11 :28.) 

So the Witness took him by the hand and led 
him, and as they drew near he said to the man, 
behold now "Ye have come unto Mt. Ziou, unto 
the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusa- 
lem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
to the general assembly, and church of the first 
born which are written in heaven, and to God the 
Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made 
perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new 
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that 
speaketh better things than that of Abel," (Heb. 
11:22 to 24). Now as he got away from Mt. 
Sinai and drew near to Mt. Zion, his fires went 
out, and, furthermore, as he looked upon Mt. 
Zion and saw what a glorified host were thereon, 
even the Heavenly City, just men made perfect, 
angels, God and Jesus, the mediator, who stood 
foremost to welcome him, the man shouted with 
the shouting host, and praised God with all his 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



197 



soul. So of all those avIio take their stand on 
Mt. Zion. Behold, the Witnesses did wend their 
way till through toils, opposition and dangers, 
they had reached the high courts of many nations, 
for they were scattered abroad and went every- 
where preaching the gospel of the kingdom of 
God; some, however, of faithfulness fell by the 
way, and were gathered of the angels home to 
their sweet rest, from on high to look down and 
watch with joy the hosts of harvest gatherers, as 
from every clime, and tongue, island and conti- 
nent, they reaped the harvest of nations to glory 
and to God. 



198 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

Now it came to pass as they on a certain route 
reached the great metropolis of one of the mighty 
tributaries to Great Nation Depravity, called the 
City of Indifference, King Heedless, its ruler, 
had a dream. He had a very sorry subject in his 
kingdom that slept with swine, caring for neither 
dirt nor lice ; filling his belly upon the husks they 
refused to eat. Though some incensed lords 
caught him and beat him, hoping thereby to im- 
prove his ambition and to bring him up to the 
level of a human, yet he soon forgot their words, 
and, returned by and by to his wanton ways. 
Rather than issue a call for his execution, the 
king sent for him, and, when there, made him an 
offer to a position of some honor, as well as hav- 
ing in it the staff of life ; but he wandered back 
to his sty of indolence, and a living that costs no 
effort. Now the king was abashed to see the 
humiliation of his brother, and though it is out of 
the line of kings, who are, in the main, men of 
much moral weakness, short patience, long pride, 
and small charity ; yet this king purposed in his 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



199 



heart_ to right a wrong, not by killing a man, but 
by tenderly cultivating him, and thereby grow- 
ing: him into somethino^ o^ood. Wishiiio: to raise 
his brother to credit and honor, the king called 
for him again and washed him in his own foun- 
tain, clothed him from his own wardrobe, feeding 
him from his own table, and when he occupied 
the highest seats in his dominion he had the in- 
dolent pauper of yore arrayed, to sit by his side. 
Now it came to pass, when the king awoke to 
meditate on his dream, he said: "This dream 
was so much my inferior, as I awoke I rushed 
from my bed exclaiming : * what ! what ! ! what ! ! ! ' 
Yea, I was so annoyed with the baseness of my 
dream I prayed to dream no more whilst the 
world stood, hence for nights, refused to sleep 
for fear of dreams. For the thing dreamed was 
so low that even the blackguard and the vulo^ar 
Avould despise me. So I went about in much 
trouble, and did not sleep till finally surfeiting 
myself with over much sorrow. One day suddenly 
I fell asleep, sweet sleep, sweetest sleep that ever 
was, and for a dav and night evidently I dreamed 
nothing. Nevertheless, before I awoke I had 
visions and dreamed the same thing over, with 
however, a very different bearing, insomuch, in- 
stead of having baseness to me, as afore, it was 



200 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



to me fraught with imposing beneficence. I saw 
the King, that sits above the skies and clouds, 
leave his royal highness, ''taking upon him the 
form of a servant," (Phil. 2:7) and go so low 
on his stupendous mission of mercy as to be 
beneath all degradation and poverty ; for he was 
cursed and despised by the basest of men. Yea, 
they cursed him and called him a "devil," '-spit 
upon him," "stripped him" naked and tore his 
worn flesh with cruel irons, till he died (Mark 
15 :20, 32). Notwithstanding, he arose as from 
an infinite stoop, stretching forth his arms to 
save the same guilty wretches. Ah, he gathered 
his abusers in his merciful arms, took them to 
the best of heavens, and "made them kings and 
priests to God," (Eev. 5:9, 10) occupying His 
own throne, (Rev. 3 :21) sharing of all his glory 
world without end." Here the king awoke, and 
calling on those of Little Nation Sanctified to in- 
terpret the dream, they assured him the dream 
was significant, and the interpretation thereof was 
good, but, amazing to behold. They said: "As 
thou didst, O, king, stoop to save thy fallen 
brother in thy midst, even more, had the Prince 
of Glory condescended to take merciful notice 
even of kings — the best and mightiest of earthly 
kings and potentates being infinitely below the 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



20i 



touch of his sceptre — he will wash and cleanse 
them in his own fountains, for it is the *Prince of 
the kings of the earth,' that will *wash us from 
our sins in his own blood ;' or, as is affirmed in 
the triumph of mighty faith : 'The blood of 
Christ' (which makes his fountains indeed very 
costly, to get a substance .strong enough to re- 
move sins), yea, 'the blood of Christ who, 
through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without 
spot to God, will purge your conscience from 
dead works to serve the living God.' (Heb. 9 : 
14). O Idng, in thy dream thou art invited of 
God to become His guest in the banqueting 
house of His only Son. Haste to come, O man, 
and wash thy robe in his blood and make it white 
(Rev. 7 :14) like the saved that feast in glory. 

"He has prepared a wedding garment that fits, 
come to the 'Marriage Supper of the Lord' 
(Rev. 19:8) (Matt. 22:2-13). Yes, the com- 
mand of the king royal will be : 'Take away the 
filthy garment from him,' saying as he turns to 
thee: 'Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to 
pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change 
of raiment,' (Zech. 3 :4). So also will he feed 
them from his own table as it sayeth : 'He shall 
gird himself and make thee to sit down to meat, 
and will come forth to serve thee, '(Luke 12 :37). 



202 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



Since then he hath gone to the earth and pro- 
claimed : *I am the living bread which came 
down from heaven ; if a man eat of this bread 
he shall live forever, and this bread I will give is 
my flesh, which T will give for the life of the 
world,' (John 6:51). O king, let us beseech 
thee not to disinherit it forever, simply because 
it is a dream ; for in dreams men often lie at the 
gate of heaven, and oft in dreams also lie at the 
very gate of hell. Up and haste on with thy 
soul in the way wherein he hath shown thee to 
walk.' ' Here they cease to speak, and with- 
draw for prayers, till he declares himself a can- 
didate for heaven, casting the world at his feet, 
and looking to the skies for a crown. The king 
was troubled much, of what he saw in sleep 
and heard when before the Apostles of truth. 
Sometimes he would choke his trouble with the 
cares of his kingdom; sometimes he would 
crowd it off of his mind by the many applauses 
of his lords and countrymen ; at other times, he 
sought wines and feasts, but any or all of these 
failed to quench the fire that raged within ; for 
the Holy Spirit that convicts the world of sin, 
of righteousness, and of judgment, (Jno. 16:8) 
had lain truth on the inward parts and began a 
work that no man, nor devils can undo. (Acts 
2:37). 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



203 



For weeks he went with a heavy heart, assay- 
ing to cast it off by fine sports, and extravagant 
pleasures ; but no ! the angel that pulled Lot and 
his wife out of doomed Sodom, takhig them by 
the hand, (Gen. 19 :16) had undertaken, by the 
command of the Captain of our Salvation, to pull 
the king out of the fire (Jude 1 :23) : plucking 
him as a brandfrom eternal burnings(Zech. 3 :2). 
Finally, after warring long with his convictions, 
till his soul was plundered of every ease, one 
night, when pondering the whole affair over in his 
mind, he fell in a kind of trance and thought he 
saw an angel standing by him, who opened a 
book in his heart throwing light upon its pages ; 
and,as he turned leaf after leaf, he bade the King 
turn his eyes within his innermost soul, and read 
the true record of his life as it lay upon the Book 
before God, which should open against him in 
the Day of Judgment (Rev. 20:12). *'Yea," 
said the King, *'he made it light in my inner heart 
as any kind of day, turning leaf after leaf, leaf 
after leaf of the book in my heart that contained 
my life, till I was overwhelmed with what I had 
to meet in Judgment Day." Finally his troubles 
became so great he left his throne, and went in 
search of the Witnesses, confessing all the mat- 
ter, praying for light and help. They told him 



204 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



they understood the case, and could lead him to 
the seat of relief. Humiliated with the thought, 
for days he refused, but heavier and heavier up- 
on his aching heart pressed the Unseen Hand of 
the Prince of Peace, till he fully consented to 
take them by the hand, and follow them in 
search of ease ; for his trouble of soul was sore 
above measure ; but when he saw a despised beg- 
gar led by. some of them, also troubled by the 
same disease, knowm by the name of Heart- 
Stroke, he demanded of the Witnesses that they 
should send the beggar back, or he could not go. 

They assured him that in Christ there was 
neither "circumcision nor uncircumcision. Barba- 
rian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, 
and in all "(Col. 3:11) and that he himself would 
have to go as a beggar^ *'meek and lowly," con- 
senting to the 3^oke of instructions (Matt. 11 :28- 
30), or he could never obtain relief. Then said 
the King: "It is death with my poor soul, and I 
am forced away under this awful Heart- Stroke, 
and that right early, ere yet I sink and cease to 
breathe." So the King went with the Missiona- 
ries, and also the poor beggar who was groaning 
with, troublous times on him. But in the midst 
of the King's bewilderments, he forgot his purse, 
and privately sent his servant back, telling him 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



205 



also to bring his Scepter and also his Crown. So 
as the servant came back well nigh faint for 
breath, so fleet had been his motions, he came up 
and cast all at the feet of the King. *'Hey day," 
cried the Witnesses, *'What meaneth all this car- 
nal ado?" The King answered : *'This in part, 
or all, if necessary, is to purchase deliverance 
from my troubles." "Ah," said the gentle Sa- 
maritan, ''All who offer the Master at the gate a 
price, will be sent back as being under the curse 
of ignorance. 

"You must lie at Mercy's gate, like Lazarus lay 
at the rich man's gate ; so if the keeper espy these 
things, his ears will forever turn from thee'.'Hence, 
the king sent them back, and also sent for his wife 
and children to come, and, if possible, comfort 
his heart, for it was breaking inside of him. So, 
when they overtook him, and began to comfort 
him, he said he grew worse the more he relied on 
this sort of comfort. Then said the Apostles of 
truth: "We must, in search of this higher com- 
fort, forsake houses, brethren, sisters, father, 
mother, wife, children and lands." (Matt. 19: 
29.) So he sent them back, and went away fur- 
ther on his journey. But, one night, whilst in 
company, the king was rolling in troubles, and 
groaning for long-sought relief, when a bray of 



206 



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alarm and attention fell on them from some one 
without ; for lo ! a swift messenger from his court 
came, in double haste, to entreat the king to re- 
turn to his throne, saying: *'A11 men call for thee 
to return, and sit in dominion and power." 
**Ah," said the king, '*now I will surely rise up, 
and whistle all these troubles down the winds, and 
go, with light step, back to my throne." But 
every time he looked back, new pangs smote him 
and smote him, till he finally hastened the evil 
council out of his eyes, for thus it is when God 
leads a soul from danger and death, to life and 
peace ; He causes everything to rise up and push 
him forward, till he mounts above all clamorous 
hinderance Now, as they advanced forward, 
they reached a gate called Test Gate, inasmuch 
as all souls, not sincere in the work of repent- 
ance and sorrow for sin, were allowed to go no 
further, but denounced as liars and hypocrites and 
sent back. The keeper at the gate asked the beg- 
gar, if, in going through this narrow pass, just 
wide enough for a man, without any cumbrance, 
except what was in him, if he was willing never 
to go back to anything left behind. *'Yes," said 
the beggar, ''I am very willing, if allowed to j)ass 
through this gate in search of a cure for this aw- 
ful heart stroke of a disease never to go back, 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



207 



for there is nothing lean go back to, but the same 
things I am fleeing from, which I loath and abhor, 
seeing they have set my soul in this rack of dis- 
tress." "Then," said the Porter, as he swung 
the gate open, disclosing a cluster of swords, 
flashing and pointing to the beggar's guilty heart, 
"Come in, and stand till we lock the gate in the 
rear." So, ^vhen the gate in the rear was finally 
locked, pushing the beggar close on to the flashing 
swords in front, the Porter shook the great case 
that made a thousand glistening blades of venge- 
ful steel rattle and motion forward toward the life 
of the beggar, as he said: "These daggers rep- 
resent eternal Justice, bespeaking the fact that 
condemnation and perpetual banishment is the 
just portion of all sinners ; so if they smite you, 
it is hopeless death. Do you, now and here, real- 
ize it would be just, if, instead of showing mercy, 
God would slay thee for thy guilt and trans- 
gression?" "O Lord, thy will be done," said 
the beggar, as he fell upon his face, and gushed a 
flow of tears. Then, I saw the break of swords 
raise up, but could not see the hand that moved 
them. So the keeper said : "0 man, pass on to 
the next gate, for thou art truly in earnest in all 
this grave matter." So he walked on, passing 
out, where he waited for the full company 



208 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



of Witnesses to lead him yet along the way. Then 
the keeper asked the King, if, entering this gate, 
he could consent never to go back again for any- 
thing left behind. Here the Kuig faltered, for 
he hoped to go back as soon as he got relief of 
his excruciating Heart-Stroke, and again enjoy 
the world and his throne. After he had wallowed 
here for a day and night to get the full consent of 
his mind to forsake all for the kingdom of heaven, 
even giving up his kingdom for the kingdom of 
righteousness, and inasmuch as his old trouble at 
heart got worse, instead of better, he rose to make 
an answer to the gate-keeper : "I am carrying 
living death in my soul , and living a dying life as 
1 am ; and if I can get relief from all this misery 
and distress, I will never call at this gate to go 
back for anything I have left behind." 

So the gate opened, and he, like the poor beg- 
gar, stood between the gate closed and well barred 
whilst the great break of swords, trembled in his 
face. Then the Porter spake, as follows: *'0 
King, these daggers are emblems of Holy Justice 
that may yet slay thee if thou shalt refuse to sub- 
mit and believe ; now if Jehovah were to cast thee 
off for thy sins and guilt, couldst thou see it utter- 
ly right?" Here the poor King groaned and fell 
backwards and said : *' Teach me how not to in- 



rREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



209 



suit God, but be meek like the beggar before 
me." *'0h," said the Missionaries, ^'Christ suf- 
fered, the Just for the unjust." (Rom. 3:2G). 
Then said the King : will trust him though 
he slay me." (Job 13:15). So the swords re- 
moved and again I saw the beggar and the King 
side by side though not yet relieved. So they 
moved right up to a gate called Mercy gate, and 
going up with the Witnesses they both knock at 
once. **Aha," answered the Porter within, 
* 'who comes there?" The cried: ''A King 

and a friendly beggar." Whereat, the Usher 
responded from within: *'No one hut beggars 
are allowed to enter this gate." Whereupon the 
Edng fell to his face as if he would die. The 
beggar continued knocking till the keeper again 
called: "Who's there?" The beggar answered ; 
"A poor vile wretch, seeking mercy, having no 
merit of his own, and nothing but prayers to get 
the favor of another." Then opened the gate to 
him as he went in and saw in front a great iHver, 
and a shouting multitude on the other side. Then 
said the Porter: *'Canst thou swim, crossing 
this mighty river, landing at the foot of the cross, 
standing in the water's edge on the opposite 
shore?" *'Yes," said the beggar, ''I can swim in 
all cases hut this ; my heart is so heavy, and my 



210 



FREEING THE CArXIYES. 



arms so exceedingly weak, I can not swim to-day, 
nor ever afterward, such a river as this. But the 
Porter responded : **See the gate is closed and 
thou art fenced in on all sides simply left stand- 
ing on a sterile rock. Hence, it is swim or die 
as thou art; die on these thirsty sands, or die in 
this river." Then said the beggar : "I will go 
down coastwise a little, and put my feet in the 
water at a venture." So he did, and a thrill 
came over him, so he went deeper and deeper, 
getting as it seemed lighter and lighter, till he 
wished to push his bosom against the mighty 
river. So he heaved forward, and felt the cross 
on the opposite shore attract him more and more ; 
till he found swimmino^ most deliohtsome indeed. 
As he swam gallantly over, soon he missed his 
burden, and he knew not what of it at all; his 
aching heart got well ; his conscience grew at 
ease, and ever and anon as he swam, he would 
rise upon the buoyant wave, and clap his hands 
whilst the joyous throng cheered him from the 
opposite shore. So he got over, and went up to 
and kissed the "cross," and was borne by the 
rapt assembly in shouts of triumph into the 
golden city. 

Now by this time the hing had come to, and 
was the picture of utter wretchedness. So he 



FEEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



211 



again knocked at Mercy's gate, as the cheerful 
Porter cried : **Aha, and who now at my gate?" 
Then the Kinoj cried: "A kino; in crimes and 
deeds, but a beggar for saving mercies ;" for by 
this time the Witnesses had taught him more of 
the way. Then the gate opened wide and he 
stood upon the brink of the vast river. Said the 
Porter: * 'This is the River of Life, and yonder 
on its opposite shore is the "cross" of God's 
dear Son, standing as it does in the waters, to 
give to them vital properties^ so no one can die in 
these waters of life." Then said the Angel of the 
gate to the King. "Canst thou swim?" "No," 
said the King, and here again fear smote him till 
sick and ghastly pale. Tlien said the Witnesses : 
"Be not faithless, but believing, for all things are 
possible to those who believe." (Mark 9: 23). 
At this he took courage, for all along his journey 
he had found the words of the Apostles of truth 
to strengthen him very much (2 Tim. 3:16,17). 
Then they gently led him to the edge of the wa- 
ter, for by this time he could scarcely walk any 
more; leading him in a little, when lo ! they 
were so bracing as the River of Life (Rev. 22 :1) 
he wished to go deeper, so he went to his knees ; 
then he felt relieved, and went to his loins ; then 
he was most anxious to push out upon all its 



212 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



waves, and made one lunge forward, not to sink, 
but to swim on top of its waters. As he did so, 
they rolled in on its fires, that had so long burnt 
in his soul, and quenched them forever. So he 
saw his sins all washed out of his heart, and his 
conscience cleansed, whilst he went shouting over 
the sparkling Eiver of Life. Then he raised a 
loud shout, and all the hosts came down to greet 
him, waving their joyous hands around the cross 
as it attracted him fast to the shore. Yea, the 
waters of the Eiver of Life held him up so he 
could not sink, and if he swallowed or breathed 
them, they were helpful; till in every wise his 
deliverance was glorious and most complete. 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



213 



CHAPTER FIFTEEN. 



Now, it came to pass, as a group of Witnesses 
walked in another country, and in another di- 
rection, they discoursed by the way and were sad. 
One by the name of Great Care thus broke the 
state of his mind to his fellow-laborers: ''This 
day, and this month of days, have I carried m}^- 
self in great faithfulness, both toward God and 
toward my fellow-mankind ; and yet the vine I cul- 
tivate is rather withering than growing. In fact, 
instead of being teachers, they are 'babes and car- 
nal, needing some one to teach them.' (Heb. 5 : 
12.) If I am allowed an expression of my own 
fancy, I will say, instead of being men and wo- 
men in Christ Jesus (Eph. 4:13) (Cor. 14:20), 
they are as little infants, some of them fifty years 
old, sitting in the side-pockets of the church, their 
mother and nurse. Just to think, they cannot so 
much as walk; weak, helpless, and an expense all 
the days of their pilgrimage ; yet the self same 
beings, in carnal things are not only men of stat- 
ure, but some of them are giants, ready to .slay 
the lion, and dig up the very pillars of opposition, 



214 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



carrying them afar, as did Samson the gates of 
Gaza. (Judges 16 :3.) Pray, friend Patience, 
how is this; canst thou divine 9" *'Yes," said 
Patience, who had long been in the service, and 
fully observed the workings of all things as to the 
kingdom, *'yes, those spiritual babes, yet giants 
carnal, have long starved the spirit, withholding 
from it the Word, which is meat, also love, faith and 
good works ; all of which make the souls of men 
strong when used aright. Others developed their 
* carnal' powers, by looking continually after the 
'World;' loving the wwld and the things there- 
in, of which we are forbidden by the Master. 
(I John 2:15.) Yea, they have famished their 
spiritual natures, and fed the carnal, whereas it is 
wise and good to feed the spirit well and starve 
the carnal ; working the spiritual, and binding the 
carnal to inaction and to dwindling poverty. If 
saints feed upon Christ, as some do the worlds ere 
this, they would have put mountains to flight,' 
(Matt. 17 :20) resisting the devil in such master- 
ly ways, as by this time would have almost broken 
his courage from further attempts." *'0," said 
Much Trouble, *'h()w provoking to have to do 
with such sloth!" **Youdo well," said Patience, 
*'to discourage moral indolence on the one hand 
and carnal excess on the other ; but we 'that are 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



215 



strong ought to bear with the weak, '(Rom. 15 : 1) 
'In meekness instructing those that oppose them- 
selves, if God peradventure will give them repent- 
ance to the acknowledging of the truth ; that they 
may recover themselves out of the snare of the 
devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.' 
(II Tim. 2 :25, 26.) Moreover, we read as fol- 
lows : 'Brethren, if any of you do err from the 
truth, and one convert him; Let him know that he 
which converteth a sinner from the error of his way 
shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a mul- 
titude of sins.' (Jas. 5 :19, 20.) The best of 
us are imperfect at best, and Christ is bearing our 
infirmities and sustaining our reproaches ; so shall 
we bear one 'anothers burden's, and so fulfill the 
law of Christ.' (Gal. 6 :2.). True, it is an af- 
fliction on the faithful ones ; Yet, 'our light af- 
fliction, which is but for a moment, worketh 
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
glory.' " (II Cor. 4:17.) * All good and com- 
forting," said Much Trouble, "But if the right- 
eous are scarcely saved — that word scarcely 
catches me as a bramble — and I do believe there 
are many in the churches that will never get nigh- 
er heaven than the crowns of their hats are this 
day. Don't you believe it, fi-iend Patience?" 
"Yes,' said Patience, "[ have, for a whole time, 



216 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



been awfully impressed, many are in the cliuvch- 
es and not in Christ ; and having not the love of 
God in them, will appear in that day 'without the 
wedding garment on,' to be bound, -hand and foot' 
and *cast into outer darkness ; (Matt. 22:13), 
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 
Many that are here, simply Christians in name, 
and not in fact, will say in that day: 'Lord, 
Lord, open unto us,' only to receive the answer 
from within: 'Depart from me; I never knew 
you." (Luke 13:25.) "But," said Much 
Trouble, "why not rid the church of such weight 
at once, and be relieved of them?" "True," said 
Patience, " 'I would those who trouble you were 
cast off,' (Gal. 5:12) and 'delivered to Satan,' 
as was Hymeneus and Alexander, that 'they may 
learn not to blaspheme.' (I Tim. 1:20.) Yet, 
in many cases, we have to let the 'tares and wheat 
grow together* (Matt. 13:30), for it seems impos- 
sible to keep the church altogether pure, do as 
best you can. Let us do that and be content, 
knowing it is all the Master requires of us ;• for 
when we have done our duty with the foul of 
earth, it pleases Him as well as if we were com- 
missioned in charge to serenade the stars by night." 
Then did a saintly old father, by the name of 
Talk Smooth, approach Much Trouble, and pick- 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



217 



ing a certain tract out from the midst of a bundle 
gave it to him, and, smilingly, told him to read it 
at his leisure, for it would fatten his soul, and act 
as healing oil under the chafing yoke. 

So they walked along slowly, making no use of 
the mouth for a good spell, till at length Patience 
saw Much-Trouble was to his pamphlet, as a beg- 
gar to his feast ; for as he read he became utterly 
absorbed, so at times to clerk with an *'amen" ; 
and at other times to laugh a laugh of joy. So 
Patience tripped around to his side, and said : 
"Good old chum, glad to see the fat of the heart 
is the oil of the countenance; pray, what is it 
that spreads the laugh and makes you chuckle 
such fine notes of suppressed gladness ? Let me 
hear you read ; for thus giving it all to us, will 
not leave any the less for thee." *'0, I read," 
said Much-Trouble, now out of all his troubles, 
as though he held them under a fair fall, *'I 
read things that weigh me up light as a feath- 
er, that which I know will also sound in your 
head as clear as a silver horn ; only listen : 'Re- 
joice ye in that day, and leap for joy.' (Luke 
6 :23); ^Rejoice because your names are Avritten 
in heaven.' (Luke 10:20). *He that soweth, 
and he that reapeth may rejoice together,' (John 
4 :36). 'Your sorrows shall be turned into/oy.' 



218 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



(John 16 :20). 'But I will see 3^0 u again, and 
your heart shall rejoice', and youryoynomnn 
taketh from you.' (22). *And rejoice in the 
hope of the glory of God.' (Rev. 5 :4) 'Re- 
joice ye Gentiles with his people.' (Rev. 15 :10) 
'Christ is preached and therein I do rejoice. 
Yea,I will rejoice.' (Phil. 1 : 18) ; 'Holding forth 
the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of 
Christ,that I have not run in vain neither labored 
in vain ; Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacri- 
fice and service of your faith, Ijoy and rejoice 
with you all ; for the same cause also ye joy and 
rejoice with me;' (Phil. 2 :16,17). 'We are the 
circumcision that worship God in Spirit and re- 
yozce in Jesus Christ.' (Phil. 3:3). 'Whereof I 
Paul am made a minister who now rejoice in my 
sufferings for you.' (Col 1:23,24). 'Rejoice 
evermore.' (1 Thess. 5: 16). 'Let the brother 
of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted.' (Jas. 
1:9). "Who are kept by the power of God 
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed 
in the last day, wherein ye greatly rejoice.' (Pet. 
1:5,6). 'Whom having not seen ye love ; in 
whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, 
ye rejoice with joy unspeaTcahle and full of glory.' 
(1 Pet. 8). 'Beloved, think it not strange con- 
cerning the fiery trial that is to try you, as though 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



219 



some strange thing happened unto you: but 
rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's 
sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed 
ye may be glad also with exceeding joy/ (1 
Pet. 4:12,13) <As sorrowful, yet always rejoic- 
ing.'' (2 Cor. 6 :10). 'Rejoice in the Lord always, 
and again I say rejoice.^ " (Phil. 4 :4.). Here I 
beheld the whole crowd had drawn closer and 
closer as he read, for Much-Trouble read and 
laughed, and then read and cried; for they all 
laughed for joy as he read this miojhty list of 
praises and the roll of rejoicings. *'Why," 
said Much-Trouble, "the who^e Bible seems now 
to be a laugh of joy from beginning to the end ; 
sorrows smile ; the kingdom of God is joy; the 
saint is the happiest being on earth." So they 
went on very joyously together, and felt it was 
better to be a missionary, than to be a king upon 
his throne; for the Kings upon their thrones are 
often as full of troubles as dogs are of ticks, 
whilst their heads upon pillows cased in golden 
webs, nevertheless throb and burn of care like a 
boil ready to be delivered of its painful charge. 

Then the Witnesses came up with a man that 
was, and had been for years, laboring with a 
trouble called Soul-Hunger The good mission- 
aries asked him how long a time had he been suf- 



220 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



fering in this way ; and he informed them, for 
many years hjid he felt the gnawings and cravings 
of his soul to no little annoyance. Said he: 
have fed it praise ; I have fed it fame ; I have fed 
it gold ; I have fed it carnal ease ; I have fed it 
palatable doctrines ; I have fed it hush-con- 
science, and yet, for all that my soul grew lean, 
more and more. Then I fed it science, poetry, 
literature, art, painting and music ; and still it 
seemed my soul would die of hunger." "What 
did you do then?" inquired the Witnesses, to 
which the man answered : "I grew discouraged, 
and began new remedies, and a reversed treat- 
ment; so I fed it a something called lies, errors, 
and sophisms." "Ah," said the Apostles of 
truth, "and what was the effect of all- that?" 
"Bad enough," said the man of inward dyspep- 
sia, "it made my soul sick ; and instead of feed- 
ing more, I at once went on the doctors, and 
began lotions, and potions, ointments, blisters, 
emetics, and many compounds, such as smother- 
down, stun-sense, kill-trouble, sleep-sweet, stop- 
thought, never-mind ; and a great deal of such 
things as change-about, laugh-it-off, quit-thc- 
dream, &c; but all to no avail." "Well," said 
the Missionaries, "what are you now doing?" "I" 
said the man, " am again feeding it a sort of food 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



221 



and medicine combined. It is made of such in- 
gredients as go-slow, do-religion, law-righteoas- 
ness, self -merit, &c." " How does that affect 
you?" inquired the men of true citre. " O, " 
said the man of soul-sick hunger ; "it may soothe 
me a little, for aught I can tell, and at times it 
seems to strengthen me some ; yet, after all, it 
gathers in me a water brash, and an awful going 
through my bowels, till I am in fearful prostra- 
tion at times, so much so, I even despair of 
anything curing me ; notwithstanding, my doctors 
tell me I am better, and almost well." Then, 
said the good Samaritans, *' O man immortal, 
your soul is sick, and dying for want of the 
'Bread of life ;' if you will *eat of the flesh 
of Christ, ' and 'drink of his blood' (John 
6 :53,54), your sickness will at once dissipate, and 
your soul grow full and strong ; whilst great 
peace will also come upon you." (John 14 :27.) 
"O," said the man, with a soul sore and long 
distressed, "Give me of this bread and drink; 
for, it is die, as I am, because I now see I have 
long eaten of the bread of lies, till my soul is 
full of such as devour me." "Let us read to 
you," said the Ministers of truth, "for the 
Bread of God is He that cometh down from 
heaven and givcth life to the world." (John 6 :33 



222 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



*«Then," said the man, looking up to heaven, 
"Lord, ever more give us this Bread." (John 6 : 
34.) So they read again to the man: "Jesus 
said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that 
Cometh to me shall never hunger ; and he that be- 
lieveth on me shall never thirst." (John 6 :35.) 
Then did the man tear loose from all others, doc- 
tors and all other cures, so left his old wallow- 
ing grounds and at oDce went with the ministers 
of truth ; and, as they read to him much out of 
the book, he cast himself on the ground and 
said : " God be merciful to me a sinner. " 
(Luke 18 :13.) Whilst thus he prayed, the Angel 
of God stripped him of all his rags of filth, 
plundering his soul of all its deeds of self-good, 
casting overboard its lies, errors, ignorance, con- 
ceit and sins ; till the Spirit of God shed therein 
holy and revealed love. (Rom. 5:5.) "Putting 
truth in the inward parts;" (Ps. 51 : 65 ;) 
"Clothed him with the garments and covered him 
•with the robes of righteousness." (Isa. 61 : 10.) 
Then he arose to a shout of praise, for he was 
sound and well, perfectly happy, and perfectly 
at peace with heaven and earth. 

Now it came to pass, as I looked abroad over 
Zion's fields to see the prosperity, or ill fate of 
her sons, I beheld, uj) and out by times, a com- 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



223 



pany of holy Samaritans watching for the souls 
of such as may have fallen a prey to temptations. 
They were walking about in the lawns of Entice- 
ment Yalley, called by some, * 'Valley of Sweet- 
meats," though properly, one of bewitching De- 
ception. 

King Carnal held sway here, though not of 
right, because he is a captured host, the same re- 
ferred to when Paul said : "I keep my body un- 
der and bring it into subjection (1 Cor. 9:27) ;" 
and for this reason, saints dealt with him very 
plainly, allowing him no kingly honors. So I 
beheld these Witnesses for truth about to be over- 
taken by one by the name of St. Change-about, 
in confused search for Mt. Happiness, whose 
sight he had utterly lost, but which, he insisted 
to all the inhabitants of the valley, he had once 
seen to his greatest comfort. But now he had 
struck a place in Enticement Valley by the name 
of Difficult Pass, being worried almost to death 
to get out of it, though a most beautiful place :yet 
in it, men's souls would often die of starvation. 
It was on Mt. Prospect, this saint had his first 
sight of Mt. Happiness, which he kept in view 
for many days, constantly, after his mysterious 
conversion to God. He said : "Its sight kept me 
happy continually, day and night, though wind- 



224 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



ing over the crooked and rough ridge way, that 
led from Mount to Mount ; for there was not a 
step on all that rough ridge from which I could 
not see Mt. Happiness at a moment's glance of 
the eye, ever bewitched of its sight." 

Said he furthermore, "Even hy night its sum- 
mit casts off a sort of nio^ht lio-ht, so as to be 
seen, in fact, more glorious by night than by day." 

''And," continued he, . "Ridge-Way, the name 
of the road from Prospect to Happiness, even at 
midniofht, rested mider a sort of charmino^ o^low 
light that never, never, left me in darkness ; till 
the fascinating charms of that lone, high up, out 
of the world, sort of Ridge-Way, was at all 
times, of more actual interest to Pilo^rims than 
anything found in the velvet landscapes of De- 
ception Valley below, and lying off to the left 
just a few miles." All this he said to such as 
lived in Delusion's realm. But as he had just 
uttered this saying, and then paused with a sigh 
of sadness, up came the Messengers of Mercy 
and recognizing him, said: "Good morning, friend 
Saint, how goes it with thy soul to-day?" 

"0,"said he, "since I saw you and received of 
you the Truth, I spent many days and months on 
Mt. Prospect, going, it is true, a rough route 
much of the time, but at all times mysteriously 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



225 



happy, being continually in clear open view of 
Mt. Happiness." 

**But," continued troubled Saint, since you 
left me, I also in course of time, met one Fluent- 
Gab, as I strolled down the green valley that 
stretched its way clear up to the line of my 
march, who told me the way I was traveling was 
rough, round about, desolate, and out of the 
world ; and that ahead of me were yot many 
' grunt-holes ' through which I would barely 
squeeze after long fastings and prayers and other 
drop-flesh processes, doctored on me by the heart- 
less conductors on that hill route to glory ; and 
so succeeded in getting me to try this valley way, 
assuring me it was far better, and yet reached 
the same end. 

*'So I followed Fluent-Gab who was in com- 
pany with one Fair- Ado, though these names 
smelt badly \ at the same time there being a some 
thing within me that pulled me back so hard I 
could hardly go at all that way. 

*'And," continued Saint, *'this I did for many 
days, much delighted at first, and on, till we had 
passed all sweet meats, reaching, by and by, 
cross-roads in miserable abundance and bitter 
waters without end." 

*'Ah," said the good Samaritans, <*We are 



226 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



seven times glad to see thee, O Saint, and to find 
thee so freely sowing the tears of repentance, for 
this cheers us to believe we may yet restore thy 
loss, so artfully practiced upon thee by lies paint- 
ed with a kind of gloss that makes them look 
like truth." 

"Come now," continued the Witnesses, "it is 
no child's play to undo this folly, for by much anx- 
ious ado thy feet will yet take hold on the good 
old way." "0 Saint, let us know of thee a mat- 
ter or two ; art thou happy here ; and wast thou 
ever out of sight of Mt. Happiness when up yon- 
der? "No," responded Saint, * no, no, the out- 
side here may seem to be happy, but the inside is 
a fire of miseries, and I stand here quivering and 
weeping, longing once more for the sight of that 
sacred old Mt. Happiness, never yet seen by any- 
one from this low valley ; though old King Car- 
nal told me as I entered here, all his subjects 
were fully joyous, having the whole store of this 
rich realm to their immediate and constant dis- 
posal. 

"But matters grew worse and worse, till in the 
end, seeing I loved not their ways, they both for- 
sook me, and then I got not the cold comfort of 
even a sorry lie, to help me on my way of trouble 
and gloom ! ' ' 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



227 



**Then, said the good Samaritans, *'We will 
help you all we can, but you must engage not to 
talk with Fluent-Gab ever again ; and at the same 
time you must rise and throw off the sway of 
King Carnal, and treat him as a vile usurper in di- 
rect treason to all authority that is above both him 
and us. As it stands, you are his slave, but 
your liberties are already bought^ if only you 
can now assume courage and forever accept them." 
**So," continued they, cheering up good Saint, 
"Let us admonish you to take unto you the whole 
armor of God that you may be able to stand in 
the EVIL day." (Eph. 6:13.) Here they all 
knelt in prayer, and Saint wept much at the sight 
of his folly. 

Then they sustained a forward motion for some 
days, crossing all roads, reversing all routes, dis- 
regarding all sign boards; all the while girding 
up their loins for a combat with that inimita- 
ble old tyrant. King Carnal, till suddenly, one day 
just at sunset, they came upon him banqueting 
in his ease, near one of the gates that leads out of 
his dominion. So he fell to enticing them to re- 
main in his province, at least in the lawns and gar- 
dens thereof, seeing they had beaten back from 
its wilderness hardships. But the good Samari- 
tans spake to him in bold terms, and with the au- 



228 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



tbority of their heavenly King, bound him to re- 
cognize their hberty as of old. Then came farth 
Saint Change- About — who is now no more Change- 
About, but Saint Soul-Eoyal, evermore — and 
bravely confronted this arch usurper over the 
souls of Christ's freemen, saying: "Sir, you 
have beguiled me of old, causing me much shame 
and grief; but here, the matter must certainly 
end, for I have cast my mind on the side of right, 
till I am powerfully pursuadcd to resist you 
sharply and in sore earnest, if needs be, and thus 
retura to the way I forsook for this flaming de- 
ception of thine" Then said King Carnal: 
"Come, good Saiitt, be not so rash as to rob your 
belly of sweetmeats, cooling drinks and luscious 
rest, and all that just to suit a gorgeous whim ! 
Why, sir, be in rash haste to leave these lawns of 
delight at once, to climb the rough and rugged 
steeps that rise with harsh aspect, the moment 
you pass out of my inviting gates?" Then cried 
out Saint : "O Deceiver, Carnal King, mock 
me not with silvery speech, which of other days 
led me far astray, for I have engaged with my 
soul to push through thy gates, and at once re- 
cover the lost way, which is only just a little 
above these cragged roughs, for there the sight of 
Mt. Happiness keeps me with light step, whilst 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



229 



here the farther I press on, the heavier my feet 
hang to my weary bones." 

So, electrified with the thoughtful memory of 
former happiness. Holy Saint rose up to pass out, 
but King Carnal stepped forward, and, pushing 
him aback, said : "You will do well, being only 
a scrap of this boasting courage ; yes, you will do 
well to lemember you are on my premises, and 
covered by the shadow of your very honorable su- 
periors ; and, furthermore, if your vaunting im- 
pudence does not mind you to a better way, you 
are likely to get your feelings cracked a Tttle." 

Now, Saint at once saw a conflict was a most 
righteous necessity, and for days, having wound 
himself up to the point of attack, all at once let 
fly a blow against a tender loin of old King Car- 
nal, that made him snort outright : and before he 
could again set himself in the clear. Saint drove 
at him right over the eyes, filling his face with red 
confusion. This gave this valiant warrior such 
an advantage over this vile usurper of a king, he 
came at him another lunge, in which they both 
fell to the ground. But in this fall, this holy 
warrior fell to a better lot than his awful adversa- 
ry, and so mashing his throat, got from him a 
lively promise to let him go on his way well to do 
once again. 



230 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



So here conquering Saint raised a shout of 
victory, * 'having crucified the flesh with the lusts 
thereof," (Gal. 5 :24) till he escaped the clutch 
of this old vulgar King Carnal, passing with ease 
up a hill in front, which Gab-Gab had named Hill 
Difficulty, for a blind and a terror, and so at once 
rose to the high way he had forsaken months be- 
fore. O, but he did shout for joy ! as Saint hfted 
up his eyes, and once again saw, in the clear, the 
lofty foim of Mt. Happiness, the sight of which 
at once healed all his former griefs. 

In my zeal for the Lord of hosts, I went, to and 
fro, with the laborers of his vineyard ; and as I 
walked I beheld one by the name of Silly Sim- 
ple, sitting upon Mt. Ignorance, steering at the 
clouds. (?) 

As he would observe their direction. Silly Sim- 
ple would raise a reed, held in his right hand, and 
conduct the clouds to the right or left, just as he 
found they would go with least trouble to him. 

Aha ! and what say you to all this fine ado ? I 
will tell you : Silly Simple on Mt. Ignorance, 
steering the clouds, represents all those ignorant 
Saints, who are always talking about what they are 
doing to help the Lord. Such pious ( ?) ignorance 
never once catches the thought, "we love God 
because he first loved us nor the idea that, *' by 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 231 

the grace of God I am what I am." I have met 
with Bro. Silly Simple ten thousand times in the 
last twenty-five years. 

He lives in all the towns : goes up and down 
all the roads^; belongs to all the churches, and 
sits in all the courts of human praise that con- 
vene in the land . 

He often tells us what great assistance he ren- 
dered the Lord in his own conversion ; how he has 
kept himself straight through all these days; and, 
ever and anon, boasts aloud, by reporting at great 
length, how, when, and where, he got the liOrd 
out of a tight place. 

Whilst he sometimes wonders a little at the 
goodness of God, especially when he is a little 
"sorter' ' wondersome anyhow, yet his greatest and 
most lasting wonder, is this: — "What will the 
Lord do for help when I die?" 

Of course the whole world is in deep solicitude 
to know who will steer the clouds, when Silly 
Simple shall come down from Mt. Ignorance and 
die in the valley below. 

I saw also in my trance, that Little Nation 
Sanctified had a most fearful foe ; and all human- 
ity, a dreadful Enemy, in the person and conduct 
of a huge Giant that went about upon the earth 
with wasteful hand and devouring industry. Sa- 



232 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



tan fed and employed him in his service as one 
that reaps and gathers abroad. He swung his 
scythe aloft and reaped forests, houses, men, es- 
tates, efforts, gold, talents and thrones; heaping 
and consuming to ashes as he went. In eager 
haste to devour land after land, and dominion 
after dominion, he stepped the rivers, leaped the 
mountains, waded seas, smote kings, making foot- 
balls of their crowns, whetting his scythe with 
their sceptres ; and to make a full and thrifty 
demonstration of his power, he cast their thrones 
over his shoulder, laughing also, at the pomp of 
war that invaded him. 

Intemperance was his name ; and he cast his 
harvest into hell as he gathered it. As he advanced, 
he streamed a long roll of parchment, full of the 
names of victims, till I saw widows, orphans, 
friends, and many more, reading the roll, till they 
found the names of those once loved, but gone ; 
so they wept much, as they read ruin's scroll. 
Fathers wept ; friends wept ; saints wept ; the 
world wept ; till they sent a gushing river of tears 
after the merciless Destroyer ; for thousands and 
thousands stood all along the parchment roll, 
uniting all nations in one common brotherhood of 
sufferings. 

Then my vision was blind for a little, and I 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



233 



saw nothing more of the lamentable affair ; but 
presently my dream was re-instated, and lo ! I 
saw everything on a furious rampage after the 
merciless Giant, to avenge wrongs upon him that 
had flooded the earth with sorrow. Whole na- 
tions swept by me in storms of rage, to mas- 
sacre him that had walked on down the ages in 
resistless power, scourging the earth with his 
venomous bite, and a sting, as the sting of a 
dragon ; that makes men rot whilst standing on 
their feet ; and bloat their souls with enormous 
damnation. Yea, men, women, children, beasts, 
fish, fowls, insects, winds and clouds ; all hand in 
hand, were in ravenous pursuit to destroy the re- 
lentless Destroyer. The wild boar stroke him 
through the ankle ; little ants bit him ; Lions 
compassed him ; the Unicorn ripped him open ; 
the Eagles went streaming through the air with 
his entrails ; Carrion Crows stood upon his head, 
pecking in his face ; keen blades in his back ; 
lances in his neck ; chains upon his ankles ; 
weights upon his wrists ; till everything pro- 
claimed general armistice, among themselves, to 
make war upon him that had defeated, in single 
combat. Church, State, Men, Love, Arguments. 

Now as he fell a prey to the combined stroke 
of all, everything, both great and small, hoisted 



234 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



its banner and marched from the field in shouts 
of triumph, and a roar of applause echoing from 
sky to sky. 

Again I turned me about, and walked through- 
out harvest fields in other parts, and in another 
direction; for by this time the laborers multi- 
plied through all nations, till in these times they 
moved abreast the work to hand ; mighty armies 
conquering, and to conquer. Mt. Reflection 
stood over by the way till men that passed that 
way, got such a look at themselves, and such a 
heart-searching view withal, they never could rest 
more till they came on to Mt. Substitution, 
having on its brow a great City called the City of 
Exchange. All the hosts of the Gospel of God 
dwelt therein ever shice the Resurrection of the 
Prince of Life. They were prepared for all 
sorts of work, till no job was too hard for them 
to accomplish and that with marvelous speed. 
The *'Balm of Gilead" and the "Physician of 
souls" were there. The Gospel announced their 
continual presence, and sent forth free offers to 
serve all that would call at Mt. Substitution, and 
pass into the city of Exchange for whatsoever 
they needed. 

Now this Mt. Reflection is a Looking-glass 
made for sinney^s. When one comes square to its 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



235 



face, he, for the first time in this world, sees his 
soul; and it is as black as the Devil. Yes, this 
first sight the sinner has of himself, is always 
alarming, and never yet failed to affright his soul 
till he wakes up as never in life before. His sins 
are a million more than he thought, and any one 
of them is big enough to damn a world. So 
powerful is this great Mirror'' of God, it at 
once becomes a "discerner of the thoughts and 
intents oi thQ heart," (Hcb. 4:12). It never 
tells a lie, nor leaves a lie lurking in the soul un- 
exposed ; for all who ever actually stood before 
Mt. Reflection, one minute of time, fell down at 
the base thereof and thought they were rolling 
off into the very lap of Hell. The word Mercy 
never meant anything till Mt. Reflection convicts 
the sons of Great Nation Depravity. They are no 
better than devils ; and if they slight the pardon 
offered them now by Immanuel, they will be 
worse, both in their sin and in their punishment. 

Lo ! while thus meditating upon this wonderful 
affair, a great Sinner passed before this Mirror 
Mount, till his soul was naked before his eyes and 
his God ; so as to make him weep aloud as he 
ran after the Prophets of Little Nation Sancti- 
fied, to see if they knew of a cure for the curse 
that suddenly fell on his sins. They turned to 



236 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



their book of Soul-Cures and read to him : 
"Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." 
(Gal. 3:13), which means, Immanuel was made 
a curse in the sinner's stead." Said they to the 
sinner convicted of his sins : "Come at once to yon 
Mount that rises over against Mt. Reflection, 
which is called Mt. Substitution. All that Mt. 
Reflection demands of your soul is paid over 
there, freely and most fully." So away he went to 
cure his soul of the sting of sin ; for here they 
swapped off their old eyes for new ones, old ways 
for new ones, old lives for new ones, old hates 
for new ones, old pleasures for new ones, old 
thoughts for new ones, and old hearts for new 
ones; the Angel in charge "taking away the 
stony heart and giving in turn a heart of flesh 
(Ezek. 11 :19) till "old things passed away and 
behold all things had become new." (2 Cor., 5: 
17). Now I beheld these old eyes, old hearts 
and old sins, as they were cast out, went rolling, 
rolling, rolling down to the base of the Mount, 
and there fell into a Sea called Oblivion, the 
burjdng place for sins and the former life ; where 
God ^'remembered them no more forever." (Rev. 
8:12). Last of all, I beheld many, many cities 
given wholly to the worship of God, sounding 
praises in the Temple, both night and day ; and 



FREEma THE CAPTIVES. 



237 



along all the streets ; the kings themselves 
offering prayer in all their courts, and sending 
presents to such as were poor. Neither could I 
find bhisphemy on the lips of men, nor jet a 
trial at court; for jails and penitentiaries were 
converted into hospitals of mercy, and made 
channels to help the needy ; for all had a pre- 
sentiment, time was close to an end, and eternity 
stood at the door. Moreover, the clouds of 
heaven now watered all the deserts of earth, till 
the whole earth groaned beneath the heavy press 
of a spontaneous yield ; even the snows around 
the poles, since the day the earth was inclosed in 
the distress for Adam's sin,' now washed away 
under genial suns to make room for perpetual 
spring, and the hum of su(;h as sing from every 
land and in every tongue. Neither was the voice 
of war any more a sound among sounds ; for the 
arts of peace had removed the ways of destruc- 
tion ; till prayer and praise rose off of every hill- 
top, echoing the length of every valley; for a 
stately Angel had "Chained the old Dragon" to 
the Bottomless Pit, (Rev. 20 : 1-4 ), calling on 
the worlds on high to shout! Peace,thus restored 
to earth, now stayed with the repose of heaven. 
Furthermore, it was often fancied in these days, 
there was a restlessness among the graves as when 



238 



FKEEING THE CAPTIVES. 



a child is to be born ; eggs to cast their young ; 
worms, bugs and flies to pip their web. Yea, 
many persons would sing around the graves of 
the saints, as when we watch our doors, expecting 
to see a long absent friend enter to greet-us, with 
high joy. 

And now no man feared death, feeling to enter 
the grave is but to tarry through the night. I 
beheld, there was much running to and fro 
through the neighborhood, and general rejoicing 
was there; for the same declared they heard 
shouts in the dream of night, and a rapturous 
laugh just below the surface. So the very tomb- 
stones did clap their hands, as the inhabitants be- 
neath, like the infant John in the womb of his 
mother, did leap for joy. (Luke 1 :41). Yes, 
they joyously await the peals from on high, th<at 
would blast the seals of death, and let them at 
once step out upon the streets of Heaven. Then 
fell a pall«of deep silence over all the earth and 
nature held her breath, till a blast of Gabriel's 
trumpet (1 Thess. 4 : 15-1 8) bugled the knell of 
Time across the sky, and the Judgment of Al- 
mighty God! Another blast! and millions and 
millions flew from their graves *'to meet their 
Lord in the air," and the worlds rolled in 
storms of commotion above my head, exploding 



FREEING THE CAPTIVES. 



239 



as with a great noise, (1 Pet. 3 : 10-12) till lu ! the 
roar and peal thereof awoke me, and it was a 
dream given me of things soon to follow. Amen. 
*'Come Lord Jesus, come quickly." Amen. 



THE END. 



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